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{
    "id": 402635,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/402635/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 265,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Anyango",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 130,
        "legal_name": "Dalmas Anyango Otieno",
        "slug": "dalmas-otieno"
    },
    "content": "Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, I would like to speak as a Member of the Departmental Committee on Administration and National Security. I would like to say here that the problem is in this House. It originated from the human rights activists and it is resident in a clause in the National Police Service Act. The relevant clause says that lethal weapons may only be used to protect life. Previously it was protect life and property. As we are talking, we have tied our police with their hands in the back. That is why they put their guns down and raise their hands. We have analysed this thing in detail and we are bringing an amendment to the House to empower the police by two actions which will be undertaken by the House. The first one is direct that the lethal weapons shall be used to protect both life and property. This is because the battle in Kenya is over property. Gangsters are growing every day. Every Kenyan wants to be rich by whatever means and we know it. In these circumstances you cannot go by human rights movements that are operating from countries that have different values. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, three months ago two gangsters killed a police officer in Awendo and took his AK47. That AK47 has been used in robberies in Kehancha, Migori, Uriri, Awendo, Rongo and Homa Bay. I buried one of my best youths two weeks ago whom they shot in the evening just because he dared to look at them too closely. When a Member says that there is a conspiracy amongst the police not to act, I would say, to an extent it looks like a go-slow for fear after we deleted the use of lethal force to discipline the gangsters. As it is now, we need to restore the power in the hands of the police by doing two things: Amend that law to allow the use of lethal weapons; enhance the budgetary allocation for security; and increase the training of special forces to deal with special gangs. This will require additional resource allocation. As it is now, if we do not take these measures, the police will feel helpless. Small gangs will grow from mobile phone snatchers to vehicle robbers and in the end they will even dare raids in the police stations. We cannot allow these to go. Action has to be taken from this House. Resources have to be allocated from this House. Training programmes must be given. We must give the police their own accounting before we can hold them responsible for quick responsiveness when the citizens apply. Citizens know these thugs. All the Assistant Chiefs know the bad boys in each of their sub-locations. As of now they dare not say it because we have allowed the thugs to be so bold. They threaten Assistant Chiefs and to tell them, “If you report me to the police station we shall deal with you.” Now, “dealing with you” means that his life is safe and it is the policeman’s life and the citizen’s life that is in danger. When thugs kill Kenyans there is no extra-judicial killing. When the police kill a thug who is running away with your car, there is threat to human life and there is extra-judicial killing. We just have to be frank. I am so happy that the House is furious and angry. That amendment is already in place and it should be brought tomorrow in the House so that we deal with it and decide on this matter."
}