Lamu, KENYA: Police in Lamu have been ordered to arrest all those found in possession of crude weapons that include knives,machetes and clubs in public places.
Lamu county commissioner Joseph Kanyiri has also warned the youth against joining criminal gangs saying the wont be spared in the ongoing crackdown.
The commissioner said his office was aware of growing cases of attacks by crude weapons in the region and that there was need for disarmament of the same in order to ensure peace.
The ban on crude weapons was introduced in 2015 following increased attacks on locals and tourists that left several people among a local chief dead and scores of others injured or maimed for life.
However the adherence of the law has been low since members of the public have continued to report increased cases where some residents and especially the youth, are continuously seen masquerading around Lamu while armed with crude weapons.
Kanyiri said the recent re-introduction of the ban will be taken more seriously and that police have already been given orders to begin frisking suspects for crude weapons and have the prosecuted.
Since the ban in 2015, hundreds have so far been prosecuted but the county commissioner feels more needs to be done in order to completely disarm people of crude weapons and insisted that any weapon is deadly and must be removed from the hands of criminals.
“We must disarm people of these crude weapons that are being carried all over. I don’t understand where this notion of young men walking around armed came from but it must cease. We can’t have a few people causing us sleepless nights and that’s why we are going to ensure no one carries such in public,”said Kanyiri.
He urged locals to however desist from taking the law into their own hands and instead learn to trust that the police can assist them whenever necessary.
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The commissioner has also directed chiefs to play a vital role in the disarmament exercise in their areas, since they are closest to the people.
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