Kindiki breaks silence on police operation in Karen homes

 

Interior CS Kithure Kindiki has said 23 firearms were recovered from three homes in Karen, Nairobi, in an operation conducted on Friday.

The revelation comes after reports indicated that a group of suspected police officers raided the home of former President Uhuru Kenyatta's son, Jomo Kenyatta.

Uhuru, while addressing a press conference at the son's Karen home, hinted that the alleged raid could have been over weapons.

"How many people in Kenya have licensed weapons even foreigners? Si we followed the procedure. So you withdrew their security so they are not supposed to defend themselves? What more do you want now?" Uhuru asked in his press address.

Kindiki, however in his statement did not refer to the alleged raid at Uhuru's son's home.

He said the firearms were recovered on Friday afternoon following an operation launched after establishing that weapons used during demos were supplied by civilian gun holders.

"Today afternoon, an operation has been going on targeting three homesteads within the Karen area where a total of 23 firearms, some of which are suspected to have been used in illegal activities are kept," he said.

The CS said the operation will continue to recover all guns from persons suspected of having availed them to violent protesters and to other persons for other illegal activities. 

“The operation will proceed to cover civilian firearm holders in Nairobi and other parts of the Country, who may be using the weapons in their possession to jeopardize our national security,” he said.

Kindiki assured that the exercise will strictly be of a security nature, dismissing any notion that is politically related.

He added that politicising or sensationalising the search will not deter law enforcement agencies from their mandates of ensuring that the country remains safe and stable.

He pointed out that the law allowed the security officials to conduct the operation.

“For the avoidance of doubt, security agencies are authorized under the Firearms Act (CAP 114) of 3 the Laws of Kenya to inspect premises where firearms are kept, to require civilian firearm holders to produce them for inspection and ballistic examination where it is reasonably suspected that such firearms or ammunition may have been used or expended outside the law,” he said.   BY THE STAR