Eurocopter: Kenyans must never lose sight of on-going security reforms in honor of Saitoti and Ojode

The loss of two cabinet ministers in charge of the security docket is surely a big loss, especially, during this time when Kenya is at war. But all is not lost since it is during Saitoti’s and Ojode’s tenure that Kenyan security machinery has been beefed up and, practically, put to the mother of all tests and, seemingly, it is performing well. I am referring to the War against Alshabaab in lawless Somali and anti-terrorism measures internally. Little wonder that Kenya was one of the first African countries to adopt the, God forbid, ill-fated Eurocopter in her efforts to counter terrorism, drug trafficking, piracy and other forms of crime within and outside her borders that are a threat to her political-economy.

What Kenyans must not lose sight of, are the major achievements of the ministers in the quest for peace and stability and, in so doing, work jointly to maintain the gains made so far. For example, ordinary internal security issues such as regular check-ups in public places, like malls, bus stations and clubs remain mandatory and must not be taken for granted. Such measures or security practices must work in tandem with the already existing cultural normative practices geared towards socializing Kenyans into realizing the dreams of their fore-fathers. Like it has always been pointed out, Kenyans must remain suspicious of abandoned luggage such as bags and parcels and report suspicious characters to the police. So far, Kenyans have co-operated with these new security measures leading to few arrests and some sense of security and control. These are positive trends.

However, such gains can be easily eroded if they are not protected by law. The latter would lay the necessary foundation for the much needed reforms for the establishment of strong institutions that will guarantee peace and security for every Kenyan. For example, the enactment of National security intelligence act (1998) in 1999 led to the creation of the NSIS which has performed impressively regarding its mandate of identifying security threats within and outside Kenya, collecting and analyzing intelligence on these threats for proper and necessary actions to be taken. The motivation behind the formation of NSIS was to avoid unnecessary violence such as the ones experienced during the 2007 post-election period and predict future threats, through intelligence, from external aggressors such as the Alshabaab. The formation of bodies such as NCIC is commendable, especially, considering the volatile nature of Kenyan elections, like all elections in Africa.

Quoted in the recent national peace conference in Mombasa, Saitoti was emphatic about the need to beef-up security during the upcoming elections and the fact that Kenyans do not want violence. This meant that security is still a big challenge both within the country and around our borders. The government must move with speed in the appointment of selfless individuals in the security docket with the merit and courage that will forever remind us of the character of the two fallen heroes. These individuals will find a lot of files on their desks but they must be intelligent enough to read from the same security script left behind by their predecessors for that will be the only way to secure the vision of a more peaceful and stable nation. So has Kenya made any significant gains in securing herself and does the country feel safe in the absence of Saitoti and Ojode? In terms of the defense force, Kenya has a well established national defense force, the National Security Service has already been created through NSIS and the police reforms are underway. However, the death of the two ministers is a huge set-back which only means that more needs to be done, especially, in police reforms which are not negotiable if Kenya is to achieve its vision 2030.

The latter is entirely pegged on the state of her national security, which can be defined as the government’s capacity and capability of mobilizing political, economic and social resources in a manner that would guarantee its legitimacy to power and the safety and security of its citizens. In the three days of national mourning, Kenyans must remember that implementing security is an enormous responsibility which needs proper planning, coordination and synchronization from various stakeholders. Therefore, its success banks on the extent in which it is sanctioned and supported by the rule of law on one hand and citizens on the other. Most importantly, the executive must jealously support the necessary reforms in honor of Saitoti, Ojode and Kenyans.



Fredrick Ogenga is a lecturer in Communication and Media Technology and a Visiting Scholar in Boston University Department of Sociology.

braco_od@yahoo.com.