Kindiki addresses abductions as he exits Interior docket

Deputy President Kithure Kindiki addresses the Press at Harambee House Annex office in Nairobi, on November 7, 2024. [Collins Oduor, Standard]

Deputy President Kindiki Kithure Thursday defended his tenure at the helm of the Ministry of Interior highlighting some of his major achievements, including the modernisation of police equipment.

Making his first speech as he handed over the ministerial duties to concentrate on serving as President William Ruto’s deputy, Kindiki cited the five-year Sh37 billion equipment modernisation programme of the National Police Service, as one of his major achievements as Interior Cabinet Secretary.

The Deputy President also spoke of recent cases of abductions and enforced disappearances, which have rocked the country saying that he had just led the Interior ministry in coming up with a framework to deal with them and arrest the criminals. He further expressed confidence in his successor, Musalia Mudavadi, who presently holds the position of Interior CS in acting capacity to crack down on those emerging reports of crime and ensure the safety of Kenyans.

Prof Kindiki was addressing Journalists at his Harambee House Annex Thursday evening where he pointed out major strides that have been made in the fight against terrorism, banditry and other organised crimes in the two years he served in the Cabinet.

The Deputy President said that Sh7.6 billlion has already been spent to acquire Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs), Mine Resistant Ambush-Protected vehicles (MRAPs), personal protection equipment for the Police, as well as sophisticated weaponry  to provide enough firepower to secure the nation. “The Police Equipment Modernisation Programme was initiated early 2023 following the orders of President Ruto to modernise the operational and tactical equipment of security agencies. The Sh37 B five-year programme is underway,” said Kindiki.

The DP added the passport production and delivery waiting period has been reduced from more than 12 months in 2022 to seven days at present and that the backlog of 724,000 passports has been cleared . The  challenge now,  he said is to expedite the delivery process to clear the 85,000 uncollected passports that are ready.

“As I leave the reins of the ministry, I am proud to report that the corruption cartels of staff and members of the public that used to harass passport applicants have been dismantled and 17 ring leaders, including immigration officers are facing ongoing criminal prosecution. As I exit, I am convinced beyond doubt that the milestone of reducing the waiting period from the current seven days to three days by close of this year remains feasible,” said Kindiki.

 He said that when he took over, communities in North Eastern Kenya and in Lamu were experiencing frequent and sustained terror attacks and marauding bandits had run amok.  In Northern Rift Valley Region, gang crime was at its peak in Nairobi city, the Kenyan passport production and supply system had all, but collapsed and key homeland security organs were ill-equipped and in dire need of reforms and re-invention.

Kindiki said by the end of 2022, over 135 innocent Kenyans, including 20 security officers had been killed by marauding bandits in parts of Baringo, Laikipia, Samburu, Turkana, West Pokot and Elgeyo Marakwet counties within a span of six months.

During the same period, dozens of schools were closed, thousands of families displaced and public amenities destroyed by bandit gangs, some of whom converted school classrooms into permanent dormitories for bandit families.

 The DP said that the  decision to gazette as ‘disturbed’ and ‘dangerous’ remote and difficult-terrain gorges, escarpments and caves where bandits retreated to hide,  proved the game changer.