Smoke billows from Westgate Mall. The latest Ibrahim Index of African
Governance (IIAG) report released in London Monday groups Kenya with
failed nations like Somalia and others facing unmanageable security
situations at the bottom of the list ranking 52 African nations. PHOTO |
FILE
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Kenya’s national security is among the worst in Africa, a new report says.
The
latest Ibrahim Index of African Governance (IIAG) report released in
London Monday groups Kenya with failed nations like Somalia and others
facing unmanageable security situations at the bottom of the list
ranking 52 African nations.
The IIAG was set up in 2007 by Sudanese billionaire Mo Ibrahim (right) to promote good governance in Africa.
Kenya
is in position 42 and ranks as poorly in personal security for its
citizens and visitors as in the safety and rule of law indexes at 36 and
33, respectively.
Speaking to the Nation shortly after
releasing the report, the founding executive director of the Mo Ibrahim
Foundation, Ms Hadeel Ibrahim, said Kenya’s performance was largely
affected by its unstable neighbours and the situation is likely to
remain the same if the security situation in Somali does not improve.
Kenya recently suffered a terrorist attack at Nairobi’s Westgate Shopping Mall last month in which 67 people were killed.
It has also experienced grenade attacks in Nairobi, Mandera, Garissa and Mombasa.
“The
specific indicators affecting the national security situation in Kenya
are derived from cross-border tension and a largely chaotic
neighbourhood in the horn of Africa,” Ms Ibrahim said.
Kenya’s
involvement in the Somali conflict, including the deployment of forces
in that country, also contributed to the poor security ranking.
Ms
Ibrahim also stated that the Somali instability had affected the
general regional performance, with East Africa ranked fourth in
governance out of five regions in Africa.
In governance, Kenya is ranked 21, beaten in the region by Seychelles, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda.
However
the report shows that 94 per cent of Africans — including in Kenya —
live in a country that has experienced overall governance improvement
since 2000.