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.
So what is the way forward, one may ask. Well for a start Kenyans must be patriotic and not subservient. The silly attacks being visited upon us with regularity call for everyone to be his/her brother’s keeper. We must stop expecting the Police to be an answer to every matter security and appreciate that it all begins with us.
Like undertakers
Granted that a vast majority of Kenyans do not trust cops, Gichangi should devise secure SMS and communication channels where anybody can pass info without being sold out to the bad guys.
I believe that with a hefty daily budgetary allocation of Sh36m the NSIS can easily filter jokers from the mix and still glean credible Intel so that our security systems become proactive instead of disgustingly appearing like undertakers at scenes of crime long after gruesome crimes have occurred.
My security pals aver that it doesn’t take rocket science to deduce that all the grenade attacks beginning with the Uhuru Park attack in 2010 to the recent Bella Vista and Garissa bear the hallmark of either one person or a group of persons working under the direction of the same person.
The gameplan is simple; cause fear, despondency and strife in the country. Period!
However the person(s) is getting more desperate by the day and dropping their guard because by God’s grace Kenyans have refused to swallow the bait.
I refuse to believe that the SUVs driving Bella Vista attackers were kawaida Al Shabaab operatives. I also refuse to buy the story that strangers can in broad daylight unleash the kind of mayhem visited upon innocent worshippers in the security marked Garissa.
C’mon guys, give us a break. I am beginning to wonder if the dark forces are simply taking advantage of our war in Somalia to try and create insecurity within the country to achieve a pre-determined end.
With their massive billion dollar investments in this country, would our Somali brothers engage in brazen acts that would antagonise their hosts and put their investments at risk? Think outside the box please.
My message to the silly cowards killing and maiming innocent Kenyans is that they have blood on their hands. They can run, they can hide, but sooner than they think, they will pay the ultimate price
Writer is an insider who comments on policing and reform matters.
