Security lapse by police may be costly

Kenya: A report appearing in yesterday’s issue of this newspaper highlighting how members of the Kenya Police Service were hired to escort an unidentified white woman to visit Kenya Defence Force soldiers in Ras Kamboni, Somalia is quite disturbing.

Police and military installations are protected zones that require authorisation to enter and photograph. It is surprising that an anonymous foreigner could hire members of the police force to be taken to these installations for inspection without authorisation and authentication of her credentials.

One of the installations visited by the mysterious woman, suspected in some quarters to be wanted terrorist Samantha Lewthwaite, also known as the “White Widow” is the Mukokoni police post, possibly for reconnaissance.

What are the procedures to be followed in hiring police escorts within the country?

Unwitting pawns?

Who, least of all the police themselves, could think of stopping and searching someone under police escort? This type of laxity exposes the country to unnecessary security risks.

Stringent measures must be put in place to thoroughly scrutinise people who hire armed police escorts, for it is now apparent the same police are unwittingly being used to abet crime.

The white Toyota Land Cruiser vehicle registration KAV 599 E that was used to ambush and kill two soldiers at Milimani, Lamu, is the same one that the nameless white woman used while inspecting police stations, and in travelling to the Somalia border.

It is incumbent upon the police to carry out investigations and give the country an explanation.

The anonymous woman who could afford to pay her police escort an allowance of Sh10,000 may or may not be the “White Widow”, a well known Al-Qaeda terrorist who has masterminded terror in Kenya before. Vigilance by security forces is of utmost importance.