Deployment of GSU and RDU in Nairobi streets good but...

GSU officers stand guard outside the Milimani Law Courts, Nairobi. [Kelly Ayodi, Standard]

To combat the escalating crime in Nairobi, the Cabinet has okayed the deployment of specialised police units to deal with the menace.

A cabinet meeting at State House, Nairobi on Tuesday resolved to deploy officers drawn from the Rapid Deployment Unit (RDU) and General Service Unit (GSU) to the streets of Nairobi to deal with the criminals.

"In response to the security concern, the Cabinet sanctioned upscaling of security surveillance to deter crime and sanctioned swift and decisive action to deal with all those perpetrating crime," said the dispatch.

Earlier this week, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki declared an all-out war on muggers and other violent criminals in Nairobi admitting there was a public outcry.

"We have witnessed increasing criminal activities within the city. Small groups of criminals armed with knives and other weapons are terrorising the citizens of this city as well as a few other urban centres," Kindiki told journalists.

However, George Musamali, a security analyst argues that the deployment won't work since the GSU and RDU officers are not cut out for the job based on their training.

Speaking to The Standard, Musamali said that such a move has been tried before and ended up falling flat without archiving the desired outcome.

"What the government is displaying is a show of force. Remember we are not dealing with cattle rustlers but urban crimes. It is a misdeployment if you ask me," Musamali said.

The security expert suggested that a different unit was supposed to be deployed to deal with the criminals based on training and not a show of force.

"What we need is intelligence-based policing since we are dealing with people armed with knives and out to mug pedestrians. Not bandits," he advised.

The deployment comes a month after the Directorate of Criminal Investigations' Special Service Unit (SSU) was disbanded in a move that saw officers disarmed and recalled to headquarters.

Eight officers are in court facing charges in a case involving the disappearance of two Indians in Kenya.

Just this week, authorities released a report detailing crime hotspots within the city.

The National Police Service (NPS) stated that the areas are prone to attacks by thugs who are targeting pedestrians, businesses especially M-Pesa shops and residential areas.

The marked areas include; Globe Cinema, Kipande Road, Thika highway, Drive-In flyover to Kenya College of Accountancy (KCA), and the underpass at KCA towards the Total petrol station exit.

Other areas include parts of the Central Business District (CBD) towards River Road, Archives, Kirinyaga Road, Fig Tree, ABC Place, and Kangemi.