Agriculture PS’s Son in Gun Scandal in Murang’a

The son of Agriculture PS Kello Harsama was on Monday arrested in Murang'a County for possessing a pistol and 13 bullets. 

According to a report by the Murang'a South Security Committee, Roba Kello Phillip was carrying his father's firearm. As proof, the 20-year-old presented a temporary permit that was issued on May 24, 2023 and is valid until September 2, 2023. However, some of the higher-up authorities within Murang'a found this explanation irregular as there is no provision for temporary licenses for civilians to carry firearms. 

The trouble for the PS's son began when he was seen boarding a car in Isiolo town with two other passengers, one of whom was armed and unruly. The National Intelligence Service (NIS) sent out an alert with the car's number plate, and Murang'a South authorities laid an ambush near Kenol town, where they stopped the car. Three individuals were arrested on the Kenol-Embu highway after police found them in possession of a Ceska pistol magazine with 13 live bullets. 

The police instructed the individuals to lie face down on the tarmac with their hands behind their backs, leading to the recovery of the firearm. Although the magazine holds 15 rounds of ammunition, two bullets were missing prompting the police to investigate their whereabouts. 

The trio was later released after consultations with county security bosses, the PS's office, and the chief armourer's office. This incident is part of a larger trend of prominent people's children misusing guns, which has led to stricter regulations on firearms. Several incidents in the past year have involved individuals shooting themselves or others with their parent's guns.