Fixation with Shabaab could see us miss the big picture

Jonathan Black is one of the few authors who give rare glimpses into how superpowers, eccentric billionaires and arms dealers intent on making mega profits meddled in the affairs of young independent African countries, especially where the countries in question were endowed with minerals and other natural resources the West hungered after. His narratives, though fictional, are amply captured in his books -’Carnage merchants’ and ‘Megacorp’. The works are fictional, but fiction derives from reality.

In the 70s and 80s, coups were common occurrences in Africa and Latin America. Belated revelations showed the hand of some of the West’s espionage services in fomenting turmoil in Africa. To remain unobtrusively in the background, the spy agencies preferred financing the opposition in targeted countries to stir trouble. Where the opposition failed to play ball, there were mercenaries, groups and individuals like Carlos the Jackal to fill the void. It might explain why the Jackal was all over Africa for no particular cause.

In the past the West used lack of democracy in Africa as an excuse to keep poking their noses where they were not needed. Compounding this was rivalry for supremacy between America and the Soviet Union; the world’s unchallenged super powers. It is not by coincidence that military coups in Africa become anachronistic at around the same time that the Soviet Union broke up. So, when African countries espoused principles of democracy, the meddlesome West had to change tack because coups were no longer fashionable.

The emergence of radical groups provided the opportunity arms dealers in the West were looking for to make profit. Over time, a few Islamists with a skewed interpretation of the Koran made it their business to fight Christianity, which they see as eclipsing Islam. Even with Islam as a religion of peace, miscreants are trying to make it look violent. When the Americans encouraged and armed radical groups in Iraq and Iran principally to cut Saddam Hussein and Ayatollah Khomeini down to size, little did they know they were nurturing a monster they would be at pains to contain. From that judgemental lapse, the world ended up with numerous miscreants. It may seem far-fetched, but it is not beyond the espionage services of the West to keep rattling regimes that stand in their way; we have contemporary Carlos the Jackals’.

This brings me to the riddle of Chinese influence in Africa, military bases, travel advisories and the seemingly invincible and invisible Al Shabaab. China is not only all over Africa, it plans to set up a bank to rival The World Bank and International Monetary Fund. The fact that Britain has rallied behind the Chinese has rattled Americans who are not comfortable with growing Chinese influence. Britain, a former colonial master, is intent on remaining relevant. A month ago, Britain wanted Kenya to allow it free use of the Laikipia military base; on their terms. This request was declined by the government as it would have gone against the Constitution. Days later, Britain renewed its travel advisories against Kenya. One week down the line, Garissa University College came under attack registering the highest number of casualties since the 1998 terrorist attack. It is inconceivable that Britain would have known of an impending attack on the country but fail to know possible targets. Viewed in that context, who, between Kenya and Britain has been withholding intelligence information from the other?

It is interesting to note that none of the planners of the terrorist attacks have been apprehended. Occasionally, we are told of arrests that yield nothing. Is Al Shabaab invincible ? Is the rag tag army invisible, or is someone or some people hiding behind the tag of Al Shabaab to get what they want out of us?  Conceivably, Kenya could be a victim of local politicians or circumstances dictated by superior enemies; economically and technologically. Let us not get fixated with the Al Shabaab but look carefully around us.