THE news that the government has started building a security wall the 700km length of the Kenya-Somalia border has raised eyebrows all around.
At the same time, a Somalia police commander has told the Star that Kenyan authorities do not seem to want to act on comprehensive intelligence his country provides on al Shabaab.
The government appears to be getting its priorities in the war on terror mixed up.
The wall, probably a white elephant, will be massively expensive to build.
There is no other such project anywhere else in Africa.
The most successful security barriers between and within nations remain the US-Mexico border long fence and the controversial Israel-West Bank wall, both of which employ the most advanced technology and are manned by fully trained and equipped special forces in very considerable numbers indeed, complete with air cover.
The Kenya wall will require a minimum of 200 outposts backed up by a number of barracks and many helicopters.
The Kenya government should act on intelligence first and only build a wall as a last resort.
National security will be invoked every time the media asks searching questions about the Kenya-Somalia barrier.
There are many more questions than answers about this wall and counterterrorism intelligence gathering.
- See more at:
http://www.the-star.co.ke/news/act-intelligence-avoid-erecting-700km-wall#sthash.KA0myLrS.0kEJWcAc.dpuf
The construction of the Kenya Somalia border begins.
Thursday, April 16, 2015
THE news that the government has started building a security wall the 700km length of the Kenya-Somalia border has raised eyebrows all around.
At the same time, a Somalia police commander has told the Star that Kenyan authorities do not seem to want to act on comprehensive intelligence his country provides on al Shabaab.
The government appears to be getting its priorities in the war on terror mixed up.
The wall, probably a white elephant, will be massively expensive to build.
There is no other such project anywhere else in Africa.
The most successful security barriers between and within nations remain the US-Mexico border long fence and the controversial Israel-West Bank wall, both of which employ the most advanced technology and are manned by fully trained and equipped special forces in very considerable numbers indeed, complete with air cover.
The Kenya wall will require a minimum of 200 outposts backed up by a number of barracks and many helicopters.
The Kenya government should act on intelligence first and only build a wall as a last resort.
National security will be invoked every time the media asks searching questions about the Kenya-Somalia barrier.
There are many more questions than answers about this wall and counterterrorism intelligence gathering.