The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) is set to open offices in the newly created sub-counties of Sololo and Dukana, Marsabit county in order to make the entity more responsive to the needs of the residents.
Consequently, a team from the DCI’s logistics division will be dispatched to the two localities to ascertain the parameters of setting up the offices, which will be operational within a month.
The DCI Director General Mohamed Amin, speaking when he officiated at the opening of Marsabit Central DCI sub-county offices, built with the support from the local National Government Constituency Development fund(NG-CDF), noted that the security situation in Marsabit County had improved tremendously courtesy of the cooperation between the local leadership and law enforcement agencies.
Amin noted with appreciation that the Sh7 million office block would go a long way in enhancing service delivery to the local community, adding that his office would be posting more crime scene personnel to the county now that there was adequate space to accommodate them.
He pointed out that poor infrastructure has been a major impediment to the directorate in discharging its mandate and thanked Saku MP Col. (Rtd.) Dido Raso who was present for the magnificent office.
He hailed the local NG- CDF management for ensuring prudent use of public resources saying that the trickle effect of the facility in fighting crime and dispensing justice to the residents of Marsabit would be immense.
To this effect, he promised that the DCI would be processing certificates of good conduct within 14 days.
Initially, the sub-county DCI office was operating in a container, which could hardly accommodate the sub-county head, together with his personnel and the requisite equipment.
At the same time, the DCI boss has said that Ethiopia and Kenya are working on a joint framework on how best to tackle cross-border crime.
He said the government was committed to eradicating crime, being fueled by the porous border, especially human and drug trafficking, as well as the smuggling of small arms, hence the need to open DCI offices in the border sub-counties to bolster the fight against the menace.
Amin added that he was in talks with his Ethiopian counterparts on areas of collaboration, aimed at taming cross border crime in order to create a more enabling environment for development and enhanced safety for citizens in the two countries.
The Director General further said that the government was carrying out reforms in the national police service in order to make it more professional and responsive to the needs of the citizens.
“I implore upon you to always observe individual and collective commitment to duty in order to enhance the existing confidence and trust from the members of the public” said Amin, adding that the noble duty of the police service was to ensure that the country was safe and secure.
Responding to concerns from Raso and the area Senator Mohamed Chute on the disappearance of two local businessmen just before the last general election, the Director General said that his office was carrying out investigations into their alleged abduction and forced disappearance.
He assured the residents of Marsabit that the government would soon give feedback on the whereabouts of the two, adding that the President had pronounced himself regarding forced disappearances of individuals.
“There has been no single case reported of persons disappearing without reason or trace under Dr. William Ruto’s administration,” stated Amin, adding that detectives were doing their level best to trace the duo.
The duo, Kunni Elle and Roba Sereka who were prominent businessmen in Marsabit town disappeared about two years ago after they were abducted by unknown armed people in Nairobi.
However, the Saku MP and the county Senator observed that security and peace had normalized in the hitherto volatile county, though that there were some gangs still engaging in highway banditry.
Raso pointed out there was peaceful coexistence among communities in Marsabit and urged the DCI to strengthen the fight against highway banditry.
The function saw the guests participate in a tree planting exercise, which was also attended by Marsabit County Commissioner Nobert Komora and the DCI Regional Coordinator Eastern, Lenny Kisaka.
