Sack David Kimaiyo and Ndegwa Muhoro, President Uhuru Kenyatta told

Presidential advisor Joshua Kutuny, Nairobi Senator Mike Sonko and Funyula MP Paul Otuoma pay their respects at the burial of Veronica Osinya who was killed in a terror attack in Mombasa two weeks ago. Veronica’s son Baby Satrin (inset) was injured in the attack. [PHOTOS: Benjamin Sakwa/STANDARD]

By BRYAN TUMWA

Kenya: The government has been asked to take charge of the security situation in the country.

Senators James Orengo (Siaya), Mike Sonko (Nairobi) and Boni Khalwale (Kakamega) led other leaders in calling on the government to ensure the safety of all Kenyans as a matter of priority.

Orengo asked President Uhuru Kenyatta to own up to the security challenges being witnessed countrywide and put measures in place to contain them.

“The President should know that the buck stops with him. The government should stop complaining all the time about insecurity and take decisive action. It is not terrorists who rule Kenya but a government elected by the people,” he said.

Orengo said police must be on high alert to tackle insecurity incidences instead of engaging in other operations that do not benefit Kenyans. “The police should not be used to harass people in chang’aa dens. They should be engaged in the security of Kenyans.”

Global problem

Khalwale called for the restructuring of the security apparatus of the country to forestall the recurrence of terrorism.

He said government had failed to guarantee the security of Kenyans by not demanding for accountability among security personnel. “Security is one of the most critical functions of government. President Uhuru Kenyatta should, therefore, move to sack CID Director Ndegwa Muhoro and Inspector General of Police Joseph Kimaiyo because security is not something you joke with,” said the Kakamega senator.

The leaders were speaking on Saturday during the burial of Veronica Osinya, who died in a terrorist attack at Repentance and Holiness Church in Likoni late last month. Veronica was laid to rest at her Namboboto home in Funyula constituency on Saturday. She was the mother to Baby Satrine Osinya, who underwent surgery to remove a bullet lodged in his skull in during the same attack.

Khalwale said the anti-terrorism police guarding border points had failed to curb the movement of terrorists and dangerous weapons.

“Terrorists travel hundreds of kilometres into our cities to cause havoc under the watchful eye of anti-terrorism police and the country’s Intelligence. The President should move fast to weed out terrorists from Eastleigh, but first he should remove those who have failed to do their work and allowed terrorists to live among us,” he said.

Nairobi Senator Mike Sonko said terrorism is a global problem and asked leaders to work together to improve security.

“Leaders in Cord and Jubilee should come together to fight terrorism. It should not be blamed on the government alone. The public should also participate in informing police about suspicious characters and activities,” he said. Sonko differed with Khalwale, saying sacking those in charge of security will not solve insecurity problem. He, instead, asked Kenyans to unite in fighting the vice.

Gem MP Jakoyo Midiwo said Parliament had allocated a lot of money to tackle insecurity, yet people’s lives and their property were not being safeguarded adequately.

Religious conflict

“We approved a huge budget for the NIS to take care of the country’s intelligence. The government should, therefore, not look as if it is laying back and watching helplessly as innocent women and children are slaughtered,” he said.

Funyula MP Paul Otuoma warned against politicising security matters. “Security should not be equated to religion because it will cause religious conflict. No religion claiming to serve God will preside over the slaughter of innocent civilians under whatever circumstances.,” he said.

Also present at the burial were Busia Deputy Governor Kizito Wangalwa, Ndhiwa MP Agostino Neto, Director of Political Affairs at the Office of the President Joshua Kutuny and Busia County Assembly Speaker Bernard Wamalwa.

Elsewhere, a university student who fell to his death from a balcony of a hostel in Nairobi was laid to rest in Mulwanda Village in Mumias yesterday.

The student, who had vied for leadership at the student’s governing council, was mourned as a potential leader who would have gone on to become one of the few engineers in his home area.