• CS Kindiki also noted that the government will not participate in the abduction of its own citizens
• The CS was responding to concerns raised by local leaders over the abduction of locals in the county.
Image: MINA
Residents of North Eastern Counties have been assured that no one will be victimised in the fight against terror.
Interior CS Kithure Kindiki on Monday announced that the government will not be biased but fair when handling terror-related cases.
"The Kenya Kwanza government is committed in the fight against terror and no one will be victimised," he said in Garissa.
The CS also noted that the government will not participate in the abduction of its own citizens.
"The police have assured us that youths will not be harassed while carrying out these operations. We shall fight without harming our residents," Kindiki added.
The CS was responding to concerns raised by local leaders over the abduction of locals in the county.
At least six abduction cases have been reported in Garissa in the past two months.
"I want to say without any fear of contradiction that this administration does not condone extrajudicial killings and extrajudicial processes. And therefore, we are going to fight terrorism without hurting our people. The issue of religion will never ever be dragged in this fight,” he said.
The issue of extrajudicial killing and disappearance has been rampant in the region.
The situation has gotten worse, that the Interior Boss was last week grilled over the same after local leaders raised the issue in Parliament.
However, Kindiki said the issue has been discussed internally at the top level, assuring the leadership and residents that going forward, there will be no extrajudicial killings and extrajudicial processes in the fight against terror.
In April this year, the CS affirmed that extrajudicial killings that have occurred in the country are under active investigation.
Kindiki said the Kenya Kwanza administration has zero tolerance for extrajudicial killings.
"The police officers have been informed accordingly that we shall not protect an officer who misuses firearms to kill people other than what the law provides," he said then.
Kindiki further said the government is working towards strengthening the Independent Policing Oversight Authority to supplement the work of the internal affairs unit of the National Police Service.
"This will provide an independent arm of the state that can help in dealing with extrajudicial killings," he said.