Attention of Police Headquarters has been drawn to a feature article on page 4 and 5 of the Daily Nation of 12th May 2008, under the titles “ killing raises doubts over Elgon operation” and “ man found dead after arrest” respectively. The feature articles are replete with falsehoods-they are an example of how irresponsible journalism can be used to subvert public interest.

Before we expose some blatant falsehoods in this article, we would like to inform the public that “Operation Okoa Maisha” has registered tremendous success and so far, it has gone a long way to restore law and order in Mount Elgon and surrounding areas.
Members of public who had been subjected to the trauma of living under a constant threat of crime are once more enjoying their civil liberties, several schools have re-opened and the social and economic life in the area is resuming normal.

Death of Alfred Khisa Chesingare

Without verifying facts, the article created an impression that security forces are responsible for the death of mzee Chesingare, the known facts are as follows:

That on the 30th of April 2008 the late Alfred Khisa Chesingare was handed over to the joint operation officers by Saboti Police Post to be investigated for the offence of illegal possession of firearms. Previously, Saboti Police Post had rearrested the suspect from Administration Police officers from Cheblet A.P. base. He was initially arrested on the 28th of April 2008 after information that besides illegal possession of a firearm, he was also suspected of harbouring and aiding members of a criminal gang blamed for a series of murders and extortion in the area.

From the very onset, Mzee Chesingare was very cooperative and after the objectives of the security operation were clearly explained to him, he decided to cooperate. He then offered to take security officers to his compound where he confessed some close relatives (who were members of the criminal gang) had hidden a firearm.

Consequent upon his confession, on the 1st of May 2008, security officers accompanied Mzee Chesingare to his compound and after searching several points, it became apparent that the firearm had been removed after Mzee Chesingare was arrested on the 28th of April by the Administration Police.

The security forces went back with Mzee Chesingare and after further deliberation, the investigators reached an arrangement on how to cooperate so that the firearms would be recovered and the criminals arrested. He was then released on 2nd of May.

By the time of parting company with the investigators, Mzee Chesingare was in good health and he was quite positive that his cooperation will go along way to improve security in the area. The security forces also viewed him as a great asset to the ‘Operation Okoa Maisha’.

On the 5th of May 2008, police in Kitale received the unfortunate news that Mzee Chesingare had been found dead a few kilometers from his compound.

Kitale Police Division has opened an inquest file and investigations have commenced to apprehend those responsible for the murder and prosecute them in a court of law.

We wish to mention that if it is established that the person who died is actually Mzee Chesingare who was previously in our custody, this will not only be sad for the family but also will be a set back for ‘Operation Okoa Maisha’ . Mzee Chesingare had become a very important link to vital information.

Further, the article alleges that “the operation has turned into an exclusive undertaking by the military”. Police Headquarters view this as a very irresponsible falsehood. ‘Operation Okoa Maisha’ remains a police operation and all the forces are playing their respective roles effectively. The operation has drawn from all the sections of Kenya Police including the General Duty, the General Service Unit and the Criminal Instigations Department with reinforcement by Administration Police.

The military is there to provide technical and logistical support especially in regard to the difficult terrain, the heavily forested areas and the caves where members of the criminal gang have been retreating after committing vicious crimes. The military is also using this opportunity to survey and identify a suitable location for a permanent base near the border with a neighbouring country.

Each of the security units in the operation area has a clearly defined role and there is no conflict whatsoever.

We regret that the Daily Nation has provided an opportunity to those who wish to discredit the operation for criminal interests and other parties who had made a career out of the suffering visited upon innocent wananchi in this area.

The interest of the Kenya Police Force and all the other forces in this operation is purely restoration of law and order and it is grossly irresponsible to impute any other motive by publishing poorly researched and biased feature articles. We expect the Daily Nation to move fast to correct the wrong impression created.

Kiraithe E.K.
For: Commissioner of Police
May 13th, 2008.