Residents of Lugari Sub County in Kakamega County have been urged to collaborate with security agencies to maintain law and order.
The sub-county security committee, led by Deputy County Commissioner Simon Mutai and Police Commander Bernard Ngungu, appealed to residents at Lumakanda grounds.
The committee said members of the public have a critical role to play in fighting crime; hence, their reluctance to share crucial information is curtailing efforts to enhance security across the sub-county.
Ngungu said the suspected criminal elements live within the community, but they cannot be apprehended if their identities are not revealed.
He said, “The criminals denying residents of Lumakanda, Lugari, Chekalini, and other parts of the sub-county their deserved peace are not from far. They come from your villages.
“You know them, but you don’t want to share information with us. Apart from the training on interrogation, we are also human beings and not angels. If you don’t report them to us, how will we identify them?”
Ngungu discouraged the local leadership from rushing to the media to complain over insecurity incidents instead of visiting their offices and finding solutions together.
“Our offices are open to everybody. If you have issues, kindly feel free to visit and share them with us. Going to the media and complaining won’t help, as the investigation arms of the government are right here in Lugari,” he stated.
The sub-county police boss advised businessmen to join hands and hire night security guards rather than just locking their business premises with cheap padlocks and expecting them to be secure.
“It is not wise for someone to lock his or her shop worth thousands or millions of shillings with a Sh.200 padlock and then go home to sleep. We have a few police officers doing patrols at night; hence, we cannot be stationed in every shop. Ngungu said.
Mutai called for heightened cooperation and urged residents to work with security agencies, saying it is the only way to boost security and ensure the sub-county is devoid of crime.
He warned youths against engaging in gambling activities, as they are ruining their lives in the long run.
He appealed to parents not to be extravagant during the festive season, as school fees await them in January.
By Melechezedeck Ejakait
