It is shocking that the rate at which criminal gangs are infiltrating into Kenyan territory is alarming and giving the present government sleepless nights as the crime rates continue to increase day and night yet the boundaries are manned throughout the clock.The Prime Minister, Raila Odinga recently led a delegation of government officials to give out a report to journalists and other human right activists on Transitional Organized Crime and State Erosion in Kenya that was held at a hotel in Nairobi.

Raila said the government has organized ways to counter and manage the situation in which the ever increasing number of criminal gangs would be dealt with but the secret on how remains a weapon of the top government officials.

The Prime Minister said since 2008, the government has spent large sums of money upgrading the physical infrastructure of the country as well as improving education and bolstering the economy in general. He however, regretted that despite all the efforts being made, the advances are losing ground to the spreading cancer of organized crime.

The premier says it is a political, economic and social problems that must be urgently be confronted as a nation. He reiterated that it is a matter of serious concern that money from criminal networks has in recent years found its way into public life and even used to buy elections and influenced political outcome

Raila complained : “The drugs trade and drug use are undermining national development, hampering governance, eroding trust in institutions, constantly  testing international confidence in Kenya and rendering useless our massive  investment in education and the national infrastructure.”

However, Raila said there is need for regional co-operation of police and judicial services to fight organized crime. The premier added that the rise in cases of money laundering, trafficking in human and natural resources, the availability of guns, counterfeit goods trade, drugs and the emergence of extortion rackets are reasons for Kenya and the region to act fast.

The PM said today the region is facing new breed of organized criminals who are different from those the region had had in the recent past generations. He warned that if all the evils are left unchecked, it may defeat the will Kenyan people have for change and the rule of the law and even negate the promise of transparent and prosperous Kenya.

The countries bordering Kenya and those who have sought refuge were asked to oblige and adhere to rules and regulations in place for peaceful co-existence and eliminate the criminals’ together as one nation, one people and one government. The armed government forces at boundaries were asked to keep an eye since it is through such places that criminals penetrate into the country.

“Today in Kenya there are more sophisticated and richer criminals with greater influence over the government and political institutions worldwide and so they are savvier about using the latest technology to perpetrate and cover their crimes,” Raila said.

In building strong police services, creating more effective judiciaries and transforming customs services, Raila reiterated that there has to be regional and global co-operation. Even the current reform s to the judiciary and the police force and the enactment of new legislation to combat the threats to the national integrity initiatives are still not enough.

He said as long as there is no capacity to implement legislation fully, criminals will find means and ways to circumvent efforts to effectively deal with them. Adding that some of the Proceeds of Crime Act and other anti-money laundering laws that Kenya has implemented have not effectively dealt with the problem of organized crime.

The PM says there is a need to help honest and un-corrupt institutions that are truly committed to fighting the vice. He pointed out that organized criminals are nowadays financing political activities and the criminals are in return being guaranteed protection, adding that key members of the security institutions could be involved.

The Prime Mister therefore urged Kenya’s Internal Security Minister, Prof George Saitoti to be more vigilant with such activities since it seems that Kenya has become a significant transit hub for cocaine destined for North America and Europe while heroin is moving down to the youth in their thousands, especially in Nairobi and at the Coast.