State must take responsibility for insecurity at the Coast

It’s Saturday morning. I had passed by the Mbaraki Sports Club in Mombasa for a reconciliation conference convened by Cabinet Minister Chirau Ali Mwakwere. It’s part of the reconciliation process agreed upon by Mwakwere, the Muslim for Human Rights (Muhuri), and the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) that such conference be held.

Eminent Muslim scholars including Sheikh Ahmed Musallam, and Abu Hamza who informally shared the Islamic edict on sulhu (reconciliation) referred to in the Quran about ten times. I am firmly behind this process. I am convinced that it better serves the local interests of the communities at the Coast.

I am conscious of the massive public accolade and support for the process. NCIC commissioners present Ahmed Yasin and Halakhe Waqo are also conscious of the best interest in the resolution of this matter. They appeared committed to pursue the process.

As the participants arrived, my usual Friday/Saturday anxiety crept in. I usually get a bit anxious over having to finish my Sunday article often stretching the patience of my good editors to the extreme. “I need to rush, but I’ll be back” I proclaimed.

When I went to the car park my ride had left. I called and the person was a little far off. Anxious, I thought that would chip away some precious time. I went to a police car and asked the officers to drop me at my office. Full of smiles, the officers agreed. There was quite a heavy contingent of officers deployed at the Mbaraki Sports Club venue. The rise in insecurity and a series of armed and violent attacks has put the entire nation on high alert.

I told the officers as they dropped me at my office, which is about five minutes away, how touched I was by the bravery and sacrifice of Harrison Maitha Mweni, the bodyguard of Fisheries Minister Amason Kingi brutally murdered on Thursday in the service of protecting the minister. I indicated to them that I was actually rushing to go write my article and honour the services of the late Mweni.

I am extremely touched by Mweni’s utmost act of sacrifice, to give his life to protect the life of another. That is the ultimate sacrifice. These are the hallmarks of history that shall echo in eternity. It’s people like Mweni who make us proud to be Kenyan. In death they speak to us of the sacrifices we must make for our collective survival as a nation. Mweni tells us all that there is hope.

That there are many great Kenyans who will not only defend a minister while faced with death, but defend the honour of the nation and sacrifice towards the survival and enduring peace of the nation.

Though, I must raise my concerns. The violence experienced in the Coast in the last few weeks is unacceptable.

We have lost lives in Tana River, the killing of sheikh Aboud Rogo and the violent aftermath in Mombasa, the recent slaughter in Tsangatsini in Kaloleni constituency and now the violent attacks in Mtwapa at a meeting presided over by a Cabinet minister. We have lost more lives in these instances of insecurity than those resulting from Al-Shabab attacks.

My sixth sense tells me that something is not right. But someone doesn’t appear to be taking his responsibilities seriously. And worse, the ‘common’ man and woman might have no one to stand up for them.

The writer is a lawyer and former commissioner with the KNCHR