Police refute claims of secretly arming reservists in North Eastern and North Rift regions

The National Police Service (NPS) has refuted claims of secretly arming National Police Reservists (NPR) and further rubbished claims that the recruitment of more officers to beef up security in cattle rustling prone areas was pegged on politics.

In a statement through their twitter handle, NPS called on Kenyans to shun such misleading reports noting that all those recruited are known by members of the community where they come from.

“Our attention has been drawn to an article published in today’s edition of The Star alleging that there was secret arming of Police Reservists. The article is sadly a mixture of few facts, and lots of half-truths and outright falsehoods” the statement said.

According to NPS, 11,000 reservists have already been recruited as the government seeks to bring to an end the cattle rustling menace in the North Eastern and North Rift regions with plans to recruit more officers in place.

“We have recruited 11,000 Police Reservists in operation areas in the North Rift and North Eastern regions, leading to a considerable decline in cases of banditry and cattle rustling in those areas. As part of the ongoing reforms within the Police, we plan to raise the numbers of officers in the cattle rustling prone areas that will lead to a reduction in the need for Reservists.” Said the National Police Service.