The civilian at the centre of the now-famous illegal police patrol base in Uasin Gishu County has revealed intricate details behind his controversial move.
Collins, the man who facilitated the painting of a building in Ndugulu Location, spoke exclusively to Kenyans.co.ke, strongly denying reports circulating online that the 'civilian patrol base' had been in operation for six months.
According to him, he painted the building in police colours just two days before the images went viral.
"I don't know where these reports of the patrol base being illegally in operation for six months are coming from," he said. "We only painted it five days ago. In fact, the paint is still wet if you look keenly."
Collins further clarified that contrary to reports online, the 'patrol base' has never been functional.
He added, "This was a community thing. The people wanted a police post in this area and decided to facilitate it. Such initiatives can't just come from nowhere. I provided resources to paint the building, and that was it."
When asked why he was being investigated despite it being a 'community thing', the Ndugulu native claimed the authorities double-crossed him once the images of the patrol base started going viral online.
He further suggested that the OCS was present when the building was being painted and had no issues with it.
One of the reasons he cited for the community’s decision to set up their own patrol base was the rampant insecurity in the area.
"Insecurity in this area is very concerning," he added. "The nearest police post is seven kilometres away (from the illegal patrol base), and it lacks proper resources to fight crime. They don't even have a vehicle."
Some of the most prevalent crimes in the Ndugulu area include cattle theft, motorcycle theft, and robbery. According to Collins, the situation has been worsened by the area's proximity to the highway, which provides an easy escape route for criminals.
Despite the Cheboror Patrol Base, set up by the community, gaining nationwide attention for the wrong reasons, Collins insists they are still in the process of opening the post legally.
"This is not a criminal offence. We're still trying to establish the patrol base legally because the community needs it," he insisted.
He also denied facing any arrests, saying he had been informed by authorities that investigations were ongoing.
