Kenyans are up in arms calling for total reforms in the police service following a televised exposé showing how rogue police officers hire out guns, police uniforms and handcuffs to criminals.
On Sunday, Citizen TV’s investigative journalist Purity Mwambia shocked Kenyans after exposing the underhand dealing by some rogue officers who hired out their guns and uniforms to robbers.
In her exposé dubbed #gunsgalore that has elicited uproar and mistrust for the police service, she took Kenyans step by step into how the guns, handcuffs and police uniforms are hired out.
One of Nairobi’s notorious thugs ‘Papa’ who has been hiring guns from a police officer in Eastlands said that he had to part with Ksh6,000 for a few hours. This money had to be paid whether he successfully conducts his robbery activities or not.
For one year, Mwambia pieced together the investigative report. For Ksh2,000, she was able to acquire two pairs of Administration Police uniform from an officer based in Embakasi.
The investigative team was also able to hire a new police uniform in Kayole for Ksh1,000 in a matter of days.
Mwambia’s expose revealed that a median is involved in brokering the gun hiring deal from the police officer, something she demonstrated. In one her journeys to Njoro Police Station, Mwambia was able to get a pair of handcuffs for only Ksh1,000. They handcuffs were supposed to be returned after 24 hours.
She has held on to these handcuffs for one year.
Back in Nairobi, Mwambia drove to GSU headquarters along Thika Superighway and in hours, she got ten bullets for Ksh10,000. Each bullet cost Ksh1,000.
The bullets bore a sign of the manufacturing company which sells ammunition for the Kenyan government.
Mwambia also got a Brown pistol from a KDF officer along Thika Road for Ksh5,000. This firearm costs around Ksh50,000.
Her last assignment was getting and AK47, a deadly assault rifle mostly used in combat. Its cost is estimated at Ksh80,000 – Ksh200,000. The weapon was transported for 600km to Nairobi where she got it for just Ksh10,000.
The weapons exposed a weapons racket along Kenya-Ethiopian border where guns are transported to various destinations from South Sudan.
The government through the Ministry of Interior, the Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai and Police Spokesman Charles Owino are yet to issue a statement following the expose.
Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Nelson Havi said “The Cabinet Secretary for Interior and Co-ordination of National Government and the Inspector General of National Police have a lot of explaining to do. How can the police who we have entrusted with our safety be selling and hiring firearms to criminals.”
Kericho Senator Aaron Cheruiyot noted “Riveting stuff. A terrible indictment on the leadership of @IG_NPS, @FredMatiangi & @Karanjakibicho, Dereliction of duty as they pursue BBI has led us here.”
