Officials under investigations for abetting trafficking activities

Marsabit

Saturday, July 29, 2023

KNA by Sebastian Miriti

The government will no longer hold transfer as a disciplinary measure against officers found to engage in gross misconduct of aiding drug and human trafficking but will instead have them dismissed from the service.

Marsabit County Commissioner Nobert Komora cautioned that officers from the relevant departments tasked with the responsibility of stemming the menace must execute their mandate with diligence.

Speaking in his office when he briefed the press on the progress being made in the fight against alcohol and drug abuse in the county, Komora disclosed that a number of law enforcement officers reported to be profiteering from drugs and human trafficking were under investigations.

"We have instituted investigations against a number of officers accused of engaging in this racket and I can assure you that appropriate action will be taken against those found culpable,” said the CC.

He said that the government was determined to rid the county of drugs and the human trafficking problem and warned that government officials found to abet the crime would be prosecuted and sacked.

The County Commissioner noted that Marsabit County shares a 700 kilometer of porous border with Ethiopia with cartels taking advantage of panya routes to smuggle drugs and foreigners into the country.

He added that five illegal routes into the country have been discovered by the authorities that include Dukana, Sololo, Uran, Odha and Loiyangalani and that measures have been instituted to seal the loopholes.

The County Commissioner also disclosed that officers who have overstayed in their current stations in Marsabit were being moved to other parts of the country in order to instill efficiency in service delivery.

“The notion many officers have that anybody found to contravene code of conduct would only attract the disciplinary action of a transfer is misconceived and will no longer hold,” The CC warned.

Komora called on the county government to streamline the licensing of alcoholic selling joints in order to ensure that only deserving cases were permitted to operate

He decried the rapidly increasing number of wines and spirits outlets in Marsabit town and outlying trading centers which seem to operate unregulated hence encouraging uncontrolled indulgence in alcohol by locals.

The County Commissioner pointed out that the youth were the most affected by alcohol, drug and substance abuse which calls for concerted efforts to save them from degenerating into cabbages.

He directed Deputy County Commissioners in liaison with county government constituted liquor licensing committees to ensure compliance of the Alcoholic Drinks Control Act by bar owners and the operators of wine and spirits outlets.

“All wines and spirits outlets must adhere to opening and closing timelines in their licenses which is 2:00 pm to 8:00pm,” directed the CC adding that he had received information that the outlets in Marsabit town were operating like bars and also working outside the stipulated hours.

Courtesy ; K. N. A