Matiang’i taps Kasarani OCPD to dismantle Nakuru’s deadly ‘Confirm’ gang

Interior CS Fred Matiang'i addresses Mawanga residents at All Nations Estate in Bahati, Nakuru County after holding a security meeting on June 29, 2022.

Photo credit: John Njoroge | Nation Media Group

Interior CS Dr Fred Matiangi has promoted the no-nonsense Kasarani OCPD Peter Mwanzo to be the new Nakuru County Police Commander.

Mr Mwanzo takes over from Beatrice Kiraguri who has barely served for a year since her deployment.

Dr Matiang’i announced the changes in Nakuru, during a visit to the city which has experienced several incidences of insecurity over the past few months.

Over the past two weeks, three women have been murdered in their homes in Mawanga Estate in Bahati Constituency, the city that is also grappling with organised crime.

One of Mr Mwanzo’s first assignments will be to dismantle the ‘Confirm’ criminal gang that has been blamed for muggings, rape and killings in the town.

Mr Mwanzo, who is known by colleagues as a no-nonsense officer, has been praised for tactically dealing with waves of crime and criminal gangs in sub-counties he has served, including Kasarani.

Dr Matiang’i said when he met locals on Wednesday, that President Uhuru Kenyatta had sent him to get more information on what was happening in the newest city in the country.

Organised criminal gang

The CS who was accompanied by Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai, Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti, GSU Commandant, Douglas Kanja and other top security chiefs said that he was angered by the news of insecurity in the region.

“We have made changes in the security management of this city and from today, we will have police patrols in this region. We want the residents to have a new relationship with the police,” he said.

On the organised criminal gang, “Confirm”, Dr Matiang’i said that the government aimed to wipe off the gang and flush them from their hideouts.

“Let them be warned that we are here to look for them. We have all the resources we are not going to sleep until we get the last one of them,” he said, adding that the government would employ unprecedented fire and force.

He asked human rights groups not to try and curtail the operation, saying that they are usually quiet when the gang is maiming people.

Similarly, he warned those who finance and support the gangs that they would be treated as criminals.

The tough-talking CS promised residents that they would not experience another attack by the gang, and asked them to surrender information they may have about criminal elements to authorities.