Citizen TV on the night of Sunday, April 18, 2021, aired an expose that has left Kenyans questioning the sanctity of police in the country.
The daring expose dubbed "Guns Galore" revealed how police officer hire out their guns, uniforms, and handcuffs to criminals for as low as Ksh1,000.
Investigative journalist Purity Mwambia revealed that she had been working undercover for almost a year, to bring to light the damning expose.
She established that in some cases it was easy to hire guns from police as it is to walk into an open-air market.
Posing as a gangster, she got into contact with criminals who hire guns from police officers and use them to commit crimes.
In the expose, she interviews a known criminal "Papa" who has robbed and killed several people. He conceded to using police weapons to carry out criminal activities.
He revealed that he dropped out of school at age 18 and was introduced to crime by his friend. They would break into houses, rob them and sell the items.
"One day the man was selling to told us he had a gun that had been left by some people and they have never returned. We took the gun and went on a robbing spree. We made a lot of money that day," Papa narrated.
He conceded to have killed four people he is aware of and some he may not know about. He stated that he is not haunted by his actions, though, he is never sober.
Papa later graduated into hiring guns from police officers at the Dagoretti South Chief's camp. He was introduced to the ordeal by a friend who has since passed on.
The officer would give them guns without bullets for Ksh6,000 for the night whether successful or not, and the gun should be returned by 4 am in the morning.
However, uncertainties in what they do lowers their stakes in survival.
He revealed that to acquire a gun from police officers, you must have an intermediary.
"If you want to hire a gun, you cannot go directly to a cop. You must first pay an introduction fee of Ksh50,000 and must be taken by someone known to th cops as to build trust," Papa narrated.
Each gun comes at a different price. A pistol goes for Ksh5,000 and an Ak47 without bullets for Ksh10,000.
Papa revealed that Administration police officers are easy to lease out their weapons and can let you have them for the night since they do not have an armory. He added that one can even get a bulletproof vest.
Kenya has been marred by cases of police weapons and attires landing in the wrong hands.
During the expose, Mwambia acquired handcuffs serial number KP/IEL/2002 from Njoro Police Station for only Ksh1,000.
At Embakasi Police Station, she got in contact with an officer who offered them two pairs of AP uniforms for Ksh2,000. They collected them at Matopeni Police Station in Ruiru.
She also hired the new police uniforms for only Ksh1,000 and collected them from a shop in Kayole.
They also managed to acquire 10 bullets from a General Service Unit (GSU) officer from the GSU headquarters along Thika Road.
The expose has left Kenyans questioning the moral and integrity fabric of police officers in the country.
A section of netizens has since alleged that access to guns will be easier upon completion of the guns factory. They argued that crime would skyrocket when the project is complete.
Former Presidential candidate Mwalimu Abduba Dida took a swipe at the project, claiming that at this rate, Kenyans will buy guns from hawkers in the next few years.
“Purity Mwambia carrying that AK47 to the studio like it's some bread and it is breakfast, whah a sad reality we live in. Meanwhile, machines have started roaring in President Uhuru's arms manufacturing plant in Ruiru. In 2 years’ time, we shall be buying guns from hawkers,” Dida critiqued.
Law Society of Kenya President Nelson Havi joined in with the jabs, sarcastically suggesting that the Head of State order an increase in gun production at the arms factory, enough to arm all Kenyans.
“There is a workable solution out of Guns Galore. Increase the production capacity of Ruiru Rifle Factory Ltd (RRF) to 30 million rifles per year. Distribute the rifles equally to all eligible voters. Let us make a Wild-West out of Kenya and be done with it,” Havi opined.
