Kibicho defends Interior ministry over delay in constructing police station in Laikipia
The Ministry of Interior has come out to defend itself following the allegations of a prolonged delay in the construction of a police station in Ol Moran, Laikipia county.
According to Principal Secretary Dr Karanja Kibicho, the construction of several police stations in that region had not been factored in, in the 2021/2022 fiscal year.
Therefore, Kibicho said that the ministry had to write to the Treasury to re-allocate funds for such a project.
"That is a new police station. And there is a government policy that states that no new project should be started until the ongoing projects have been completed. But because this is a legitimate request, we have written to the Treasury requesting for re-allocation of funds," the PS said.
Laikipia Governor Ndiritu Murithi had accused the ministry of causing delays in the construction of a police station in Ol Moran at least six months after the Ministry through CS Fred Matiang and PS Karanja Kibicho made the promise.
The visibly angry Governor had expressed displeasure on the delay, further noting that the construction of the station will play a critical role in ensuring that security is beefed up in the region which has experienced several attacks resulting in deaths of locals in the recent past.
Kibicho has therefore urged Governor Muriithi to be patient as the ministry awaits the completion of the process of re-allocation of funds so that construction of the police station can commence.
"I think he has been a little bit impatient because once there are several steps followed after forwarding the request. Sometimes the national assembly is required to look into the request or even the minister has to intervene since we stop at forwarding the request," he noted.
On Kirinyaga politics and development, the PS said he is an interested party since he was born and raised in the county.
"And there are very many daydreamers in this county thinking that I can be a bystander in the county that hosts all my relatives and businesses, a county that I dearly love," he said.
Kibicho was responding to critics as well as Kirinyaga County Governor Ann Waiguru who have been accusing home of intimidating UDA supporters using various government departments like the Kenya Revenue Authority.
Governor Waiguru supporters argue that the 'super' PS uses his influence in the government to try and coerce UDA supporters to ditch the Deputy President William Ruto's party in favour of the ruling party, an accusation that Kibicho has vehemently denied.
"Does the KRA answer to me? If you have not paid taxes just pay, where do I come in? If you have broken the law, does it mean that other government departments are not going to do their job because we are heading to elections?" The PS posed.
