Criminal cases reported to the police increased by 19 per cent to 104,842 in 2023 from 88,083 in 2022 across the country.
This is according to the National Police Service annual report for 2023.
The increase was partly attributed to the nationwide crackdown on illicit brews, drugs and psychotropic substances championed by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
Assault, creating disturbance, affray, maiming, grievous harm, intimidation, preparation to commit a felony and offensive conduct accounted for 25,471 of the cases, an increase from the 22,573 cases reported the previous year.
“Assault had the highest number at 19,328, with stealing taking the second position with 18,534 cases while robbery cases increased by 12.8 per cent to 3,988 cases,” the report reads.
Unlike the other crimes, homicides decreased by 0.8 per cent from 3,056 to 3,021 The Rift Valley region had the highest number of crimes reported at 23,481 followed by Eastern with 20,423 and Central came third with 19,196 cases.
“A comparative analysis based on counties placed Kiambu first with 9,532 cases while Meru came second with 6,037 cases and Murang’a third with 3,660,” the report says.
The report was released as the national government established a new police unit, the National Government Administrative Police Unit (Ngapu) tasked with supporting administrative officers in enhancing security and peace building.
The formation of the new unit was informed by the Maraga Taskforce Report that proposed the establishment of structures to help the National Police Service offer support to the National Government Administration through the deployment of general duty officers with a clear hierarchical command structure.
This followed concerns that the merger of the Administration Police Service and the Kenya Police Service orchestrated by former President Uhuru Kenyatta had caused confusion and a policing gap at the community level.
The report says the police thwarted significant terrorism attempts through the General Service Unit, Bomb Disposal Unit, Anti-Terrorism Police Unit, Cyber Forensics and Investigative Unit, Special Operations Group, Border Police Unit, Kenya Defence Forces and the National Intelligence Service.
In the year, 58 terror related incidences were reported, a decrease from the 67 reported the previous year, while 32 suspects were arrested.
Mandera recorded the highest cases followed by Lamu, Garissa and Wajir and most attacks targeted security camps and vital government installations but were thwarted.
“With the help of the United States government, the regional counterterrorism training centre was opened in Kitui county to offer specialised advanced tactical training,” it says.
Some 6,397 suspects were prosecuted for drug-related offences as 6,397 were found in possession, 1,278 in trafficking while 216 were found cultivating.
The most abused drugs were
bhang, heroin, cocaine and
morphine, MDMA (a stimulant also
known as ecstasy), and sleeping
pills that included cozepam tabs,
diazepam and rohypnol.
