Security key as schools gather for festivals

Starting next week, Mombasa town is set to host two major events that will put it in the national limelight.

Over 10,000 primary school head teachers will be meeting in Mombasa for their national conference that will take place over the entire week. The meeting will also see the head teachers celebrate the 10th anniversary of their union. In the same week, the 2014 music festivals are set to open in Mombasa.

These festivities will take two weeks to conclude. Nursery, primary and special schools will be the first to perform in their various categories followed by secondary schools, colleges and universities.

The hosting of the music festival has been in doubt with some people claiming there had been a change of venue while others contended the event had been postponed. The uncertainty surrounding the hosting of this event draws its sails from the prevailing insecurity in the Coast region following several attacks targeting civilians, initially in Lamu County and later Mombasa County.

Locals in Likoni were recently attacked while two tourists were killed in Mombasa town. A businessman and several Muslim clerics have also been gunned down in Mombasa in the last two weeks. This raises concern about the safety of the little school children and adults who will be congregating in Mombasa to showcase their talents.

The Deputy President is expected to open the teachers' conference and that, perhaps, is why the Inspector General of Police has said 200 additional police officers have been deployed to beef up security for the teacher's conference.

Under any normal circumstances, the security of all citizens should be guaranteed. It should not take such events for security to be assured or reinforced. No concrete assurance of security has been given for the 2014 music festivals. It is therefore incumbent upon the Government to make sure that participants at the music festivals are accorded maximum security.

It is necessary to deploy a bigger number of security officers because of the expected large number of people expected at the numerous venues that will host the event. Parents and guardians need an assurance that their children will be safe while participating in music festivals.