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Police anti-terror swoop moves to South C


Police on Monday night arrested 34 people in a crackdown on illegal immigrants in South C Estate.

The operation is an extension of what has been going on in Eastleigh, in the effort to flush out terror suspects and armed criminals in the city, and police said it would last for as long as they felt that criminals were still on the loose.

Nairobi County deputy police Commandant Moses Ombati said those who were arrested during the South C operation did not have the right documents to support their stay in the country.

“All of them were taken to Kasarani where the others who had been arrested in Eastleigh are being kept. They will all be vetted and we will deport those who ought to be deported but after the court has dealt with them,” Mr Ombati said. 

He said the day and night operation is a joint effort of the General Service Unit, Administration Police and regular police.

Launch operation

Administration Police spokesperson Masoud Munyi said the Eastleigh operation was ongoing, in spite of the launch of the operation in South C.

“The operation will target several other city estates especially those that we feel are vulnerable to attacks by criminal gangs and terrorists. We must protect our people irrespective of their tribe, religion and colour” Mr Munyi said on Tuesday morning. 

He reiterated that no community was targeted in the swoop, dubbed “Operation Usalama Watch” as the police want to sweep out every individual that is suspected to be involved in crime. 

He asked Kenyans to support the crackdown and collaborate with security forces as it was only done to protect them and assure them of their security.

“Any right thinking Kenyan should in fact be happy about the move by the police to get rid of criminals,” he said. 

He denied claims by a section of the public that the police conducting the swoop were taking bribes and harassing residents. 

“Those are just false accusations meant to tarnish the image of the police force. Those who claim to have been harassed are just those that do not want to be arrested. “

Mr Munyi assured Kenyans of their security during the Easter festivities. 

He said an additional 3,000 police officers who will graduate from the Administration Police Training College will be deployed in several areas including the city. 

“We cannot say that there is a terror threat in the city but we do not want to ignore the fact that our people need security” Mr Munyi said on Tuesday morning. 

The festivities will be held amid several security swoops in the city which began two weeks ago in Eastleigh. 

“People should just keep on with their businesses without worrying about their security. We are not under siege” he said, adding that the police have jointly put in place a mechanism that will make it easier for officers to move around.

Although the police did not want to disclose which Estate they intend to move next in the Usalama Watch, they said the operation will move to other city estates and it will continue until the country is safe.