Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i while speaking during a meeting with private sector players on election preparedness today, dismissed the exercise by Kenya Kwanza leaders to collect opinions from police officers on how to improve their welfare once they take power.
According to the CS, the efforts are “laughable”, adding that some of the senior leaders in the outfit know nothing about the security sector. Matiang’i further claimed that his leadership in the sector has seen transformations that have guaranteed efficacy, decline in crime and improved welfare of the officers.
He also reported that some of the senior politicians were responsible for corruption in the procurement department in the police.
“They know absolutely nothing about security. Some of them were the ones selling air to the police and bullets at $900 yet they should go for much less. If they were still in charge, we’d have not made the progress we’ve made,” the CS said.
“In fact I sit with some of them in the national security council and they have never said a word about police. Ignore these jokers.” Added the CS.
Moreover, Matiang’i’s statements comes a week after the Kenya Kwanza team led by Deputy president William Ruto said that they were collecting views from the public on how they want their welfare improved.
Ruto’s running mate Rigathi Gachagua further asked police officers to approach any of them to volunteer their views. He added that the deputy president is unhappy with the frustrations and helplessness the men in blue are undergoing and as such, he wants opinions on how they want their issues addressed.
“CS Fred Matiangi, who was given the job of taking care of police is busy politicking, we understand the last time their challenges were addressed was during the tenure of former President Mwai Kibaki.” Gachagua said.
Furthermore, CS Matiang’i has maintained that the reforms they had put in place were all encompassing, adding that they have no role to play in conducting the election and that there is no way they will influence the polls.