Kenya: MPs Slam State Over Crime Wave

Wednesday, May 7, 2014
BY GIDEON KETER AND IBRAHIM ORUKO

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PARLIAMENTARY Committee on Administration and National Security has issued a two week ultimatum to the government to come up with new strategies to deal with rising terrorism attacks.

Addressing a press conference yesterday in parliament, committee chairman Asman Kamama said the incidents of bomb attacks have gone up in the recent time.

"We are not satisfied with the strategies that have been put in place. The incidents of terrorism attacks have increased to almost a weekly affair. Enough is enough, it is time government re-strategies. Kenyans are frustrated and we are putting the Executive on notice that the buck stops at it," Kamama said.

Kamama who spoke on behalf of his committee said if security chief will not deal with the rising spate of insecurity, they will demand for their resignation.

"if they will not act with the time we have given them, we will decide as members the necessary action including asking them to hang their boots and other people capable to deal with insecurity given the chance," Kamama said.

Kamama challenged National Intelligence Service to be providing "actionable intelligence" saying it should stop providing general information.

He said the government should investigate police officers and immigration officials along the Somali-Kenya boarder who allow illegal aliens to come into the country.

He also said the programe to deradicalized the youth should start asking Kenyans to cooperate with security agencies in providing information that may lead to arrest of terrorist.

He said tourism and investor confidence is now at stake.

At the same time four MPs-allied to Jubilee Alliance have rejected calls by a section of the minority side in parliament to pull Kenyan troops out of Somalia.

The MPs instead called on the government to "take the war proper" on the doorsteps by increasing the number of its troops to the war ravaged nation.

The four, all who sit on the Committee on Defence and Foreign Relations, said the call by the opposition ODM was reckless and cowardly.

"We are asking the government never to dream about the withdrawal because it will make the country more vulnerable to terror attacks," said Fafi MP Barre Shill.

Shill, who is the vice chair of the committee, was flanked by MPs Lodepe Nakara (Turkana Central), Elisha Busienei (Turbo) and Ibrahim Ahmed (Garsen) and during a press conference at Parliament Buildings.
The MPs said as the regional giant, Kenya had moral obligations to intervene in Somalia and warned this status could be in jeopardy should Kenya pull out of Somalia.

Instead the MPs urged the government to consider sending more troops to the war ravaged state of Somalia, pointing out it is necessary for national stability.

The MPs who claimed to be speaking on behalf of the committee, hit out at the Minority side, Cord, asking its leadership to keep politics out of security matters.

Shill said the deployment of troops to Somalia is not a situation unique to Kenya as there are troops from Djibouti, Ethiopia, Uganda and even Burundi operating under the umbrella of Amisom.

"The war on terrorism is ideological it is not about the Somali or Arab people and Kenyans must offer support and play their role in ensuring a peaceful Kenya," he said.

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