Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has reiterated that the fight against illicit alcohol and drugs will not relent and warned dealers that they have nowhere to hide.
The DP spoke after visiting the Juja police station commander John Misoi at the Avenue Hospital in Thika, Kiambu county, who was hospitalised after he was shot with an arrow by chang'aa brewers during a raid on Easter Sunday.
Gachagua who was accompanied by Kiambu Senator Karungo wa Thang'wah and Juja MP George Koimburi, spoke even as one suspect was arraigned over the attack and remanded for 10 days.
"What we have seen in Juja is an attempt by criminals to attack police officers so that they can give up on this exercise, I want to assure them and the people of Kenya that this has just strengthened our resolve to fight," Gachagua said.
He also assured security officers involved in the crackdown that the government will protect them and is fully behind them in the war to eradicate toxic liquor and drugs.
"I want to thank all our police officers from the Inspector General and his two deputies, all the county and regional security teams down to the junior officers for the good job they are doing," the DP said.
Gachagua said the Presidential taskforce on police reforms is being worked on and from July this year, the officers will have better terms of service.
The hospital manager Dr Linet Karanja said the officer is in stable condition and recuperating well.
In the Thika court, Peter Karanja was detained in connection with the Sunday night attack on the OCS in order to give police time to complete investigations.
The OCS is currently nursing arrow wounds in the knee after a police operation targeting illicit brews and drugs in Gachororo village in Juja subcounty turned violent on March 31.
The officer sustained a wound to his right leg with an arrow lodged in his knee.
Karanja appeared before Thika Chief Magistrate Philip Mutua where the prosecution and the investigating officer David Gacheru, applied to hold the suspect for 10 days to allow for completion of investigations.
The prosecution told the court that Karanja is a neighbour to a notorious drugs and illicit brew peddler identified as Kioni, whose house was being raided by the officers.
He noted that even after the officers identified themselves, the suspect raised alarm alerting Kioni of their presence as well as other villagers leading to a commotion.
Gacheru told the court that Kioni managed to escape through a window and that police are still looking for him as well as the suspect who shot the arrow.
While making the application, Gacheru told the court that the injured officer is yet to record a statement and that they are waiting for a medical report so as to enter the P3 form.
The magistrate granted the application noting that the matter is of public interest since the officer was attacked in his line of duty.
He, however said the suspect can be visited by his relatives or lawyers while in custody.
The matter will be mentioned on April 11.
