By John Gerezani
I have deep respect for Maj Michael Gichangi, the erudite head of our intelligence services. Give or take the normal human fallibility, the general picture I get is that the spooks have been doing what is expected of them and the aspersions being cast on the dude on the basis of tribe are totally misplaced and should be directed where they belong, to the implementing agency, Vigilance House.
Gichangi and his team operate in the shadows like all spooks worldwide but l have it on firm authority that their daily briefs as long-term situation analysis reports have always been timely shared with the relevant persons and bodies as required.
This leaves one wondering whether the current state of insecurity is an act of sabotage against national interests by insidious forces of darkness or whether it is caused by arrogance and what Hon Cyrus Jirongo calls “ethnicisation” of all the juicy departments at Vigilance and Kiambu road.
Anybody who wants to question Gichangi’s aptitude only needs to glimpse through the dreaded Waki report and know that the mzeiya takes no prisoners.
It’s an open secret that the NSIS reports are what the prosecutors at the ICC are hinging on to corroborate evidence against the four Kenyans facing trial at The Hague.
Many are the times l have written about ineptitude and lack of will and clear strategy in fighting crime on the part of Vigilance House and everyone knows the kind of retorts I’ve always gotten from their balding spin-doctor, some caustic, others absurd and bordering on the personal, but all evasive of the issues l raise. However, time has always proved me to be on the right.
I did not go to Kiganjo and l have no apologies to make for that because wherever l went also taught me stuff about service and loyalty to country.
Neither did l go through the CID training school even though l stayed in the neighbourhood, but l have interacted with well versed and respected security honchos over time, picking priceless nuggets on the trot and all are agreed that fish rots from the head.
And even though l am not blaming any particular individual, l have to state without any fear of contradiction that the current cop leadership does not inspire the confidence of Kenyans.
I am yet to see the person who went live on air after the Assanands blast with the spurious “electrical fault” theory come clean and apologise for the monumental faux pas. Since the word “resignation” does not reside in Kenya, I would have expected him to fire the adviser who gave him that brief at the very least.
The farcical game of musical chairs will simply not wash since the reputation and character from previous postings of some of those recently promoted to the coveted positions are well known and the NSIS can bear me out on that.
