Africa-Press – Kenya. The National Police Service (NPS) has issued a clarification dismissing a poster circulating on social media that claimed the Service was facing severe financial constraints that had forced officers to use live bullets instead of teargas during protests.
In a disclaimer shared through its official communication channels on Friday, the NPS described the poster as fake news.
The poster suggested that the National Police Service lacked budgetary allocations for essential crowd-control equipment such as teargas, an assertion the police leadership has categorically denied.
The disclaimer signalled a warning to members of the public against being misled by fabricated graphics purporting to quote the agency.
The remarks come amid several recent incidents in which political rallies were disrupted by teargas, with the National Police Service denying involvement.
The government, through the Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, announced pursuing individuals suspected of being in illegal possession of teargas canisters and other ammunition.
Speaking in Nanyuki, Laikipia County, after a high-level security and consultative meeting with conservancies, the CS said security agencies are also investigating police officers suspected of colluding with criminals to unlawfully supply them with teargas and ammunition.
He warned that those found culpable will face the full force of the law.
“The Inspector General of Police is investigating whether some civilians have teargas canisters or whether police officers are colluding with civilians to unlawfully supply them with the equipment,” he said.
Murkomen warned that criminals could access teargas canisters and other dangerous ammunition, including firearms, through fraudulent means.
“The same way criminals have firearms, we have witnessed instances where teargas has ended up in the wrong hands,” he said.
He also lauded a recently launched security operation across parts of Isiolo, Samburu, and Laikipia Counties, noting notable progress just two weeks into the crackdown.
“From the Isiolo side alone, we have recovered nearly 28 firearms, and I am pleased to report that we are also making significant recoveries of stolen livestock,” said the CS.
He maintained that the operation will continue for as long as necessary to rid the region of banditry and restore lasting peace and stability.
Condoling with the family of a teacher killed in Isiolo during an encounter with suspected bandits on Tuesday, Murkomen described the incident as part of a familiar pattern of retaliatory attacks by criminals under pressure from security operations, and vowed to intensify efforts to ensure the teacher’s death is not in vain.
“I send my sincere condolences to the family and friends of the teacher. We will stand with them during this difficult time,” he said.
