Did insecurity inform Friday’s military changes?

Kenya: While gradual changes within the security forces may have been on card, there is no denying they were hastened by the slaughter, on April 2nd, of 148 people including 142 students of Garissa University College by the Al Shabaab militants.

The changes by President Uhuru Kenyatta, the first ever major changes in the military since taking over power two years back, affected the retiring Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Julius Karangi, and included shuffling the top military command to replace Karangi and deal with the threat of security.

Incidentally, Karangi exits after the Garissa attacks in a similar fashion of the purge of a high-ranking security officials in August last year that included spy chief Michael Gichangi, just weeks after Al Shabaab struck Lamu and skilled more than 50 people, and after much pressure over the Westgate attack.

It also reminds Kenyans about the ‘forced’ exit of former Inspector General David Kimaiyo.

But the President made it clear that the decision for Karangi to retire was due to the expiry of his contract, and that he had been advised by the National Defence Council to send him home and pick a replacement.

In the new changes, in KDF, Lieutenant-General Samson Mwathethe, a career naval officer with more than three decades of experience, was promoted by the President to the rank of General and appointed Chief of Defence Forces-Designate, to replace the retiring Karangi.

President Kenyatta announced that Karangi will commence the handover process starting next week pending retirement as Chief of Defence Forces after more than four decades of service.

The President also appointed Lieutenant-General Joseph K Kasaon as the Vice Chief of Defence Forces-Designate and promoted Major-General Leonard M Ngondi to Lieutenant-General and appointed him Kenya Army Commander-Designate. And although the President  noted Karangi’s retirement and changes in the top military command were based on the advice of the National Defence Council, which met Friday, observers believe the prevailing security situation in the country may have also played some part.

Ministry militarised

This has also been given credence after President Kenyatta, for the first time in Kenya’s history, militarised the Ministry of Interior by plucking Major General (retired) Gordon Kihalangwa from the helm of the Department of Immigration to the post of Principal Secretary in the ministry.

This means the top two men at the Interior Ministry will be ex-military officers. Kihalangwa will help the Cabinet Secretary Major General (rtd) Joseph Nkaissery.

Mr George Musamali, a Nairobi based Security Consultant, says the President was pushed by pressure from the National Defence Council to act, and that the changes though professionally carried out, may not have a quick fix on the security situation in the country.

“In professionalism, we support him for making the military changes without political considerations. However, matters of security in the country cannot be handled by military men only at the top with career security experts,” said Musamali.

Musamali said already the Interior ministry was on the wrong for giving al-Shabab suspects an amnesty.

“In policing, we investigate and prosecute, we do not give amnesties like the way the military does,” noted Musamali.

The military has been under sharp focus over the delay in dealing with Al Shabaab attacks in Garissa Campus; and reports say the military was confined to man the perimeter wall and wait for the elite tactical unit to leave Nairobi and engage the terrorists.