The security apparatus is a shell!

Kenneth Juror | Kenya 

President Mwai Kibaki launched a peace conference that marked two years since the promulgation of the new constitution. As he launched the peace conference in Bomas, a Muslim cleric was killed by unknown assailants in Mombasa. Aboud Rogo Mohammed, he is accused of being an Al-Shaabab supporter and also on the United Nation’s and the United States’ sanction list. 

As news spread of his death than the youth spread on the Mombasa streets protesting against his death causing pandemonium, looting and destroying two churches, it should however not take a religious twist but Rogo’s case be dealt with as a criminal offense. This incident and many more unpleasant insecurity incidences happening in this country should not only be condemned in the strongest terms possible but action is equally wanted.

Last week’s bloodbath witnessed in Coast and North Eastern provinces is not anything to write home about in as far as our security is concerned. It is very unfortunate that what could have been amicably resolved took a political twist that a community is using the mis-understanding to “reduce” voters of the other. This scenario subsequently means that the opponent community would have fewer voters denying them a chance to propel one of their own to the governor, senate, Member of Parliament, women and county representatives’ positions. It is worrying that the provincial administration and internal security officials are always full of rhetoric with the same old colloquial “we are in hot pursuit of the assailants, we will crack the whip...”

Such situations make me miss the former president who never allowed such occurrences to continue as law and order would be restored within no time however much he had his flaws.

As I write this I could not stop thinking of how a bleak insecure country we are in. A country that its people are getting killed and killing each other as the security personnel take sides in the battle yet they took an oath to serve the Republic and the mwananchi regardless of their ethnicity, race, political affiliation and protection of their property, further explained in their motto utumishi kwa wote . Sorry if I sound like a naysayer but if the status quo remains then there will be no more modus operandi in this country as 2007/8 PEV would appear as boyish-war!

Let us maintain peace, shun intolerance, obey the rule of law, the judicial wheel is spinning, as we march towards the general election.

What do we gain if not lose by stifling the economic gains made in five years and erode it in days through civil unrest? I remember constable Mathenge’s words as he quelled irate youth “Hii Kenya yetu tumeijenga kwa miaka mingi mbona tunataka kuiharibu in one day?