Security failure? Interior chiefs on the spot over Homa Bay chaos

Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen . [Elvis Ogina,Standard]

They are an army of complicit or perhaps part of a well-choreographed political tactic to muzzle critics. They talk tough on camera but deliver hot air when it comes to the protection of the lives and property of Kenyans or reining in the political cancer that is goonism, threatening to bring the country to its knees.

To them, hear-no-evil-and-see-no-evil and only making cosmetic statements in response is the ultimate strategy to tackle political violence that is putting the country on the wrong footing, barely a year before the country heads to the next General Elections.

Yesterday, as the dust of violence and carnage settled on the horrific violence witnessed in Homa Bay, questions hovered around the dedication by Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen, his Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo, whose own kinsmen and village mates chose violence after days of open mobilisation and police inaction, and the Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja over his cosmetic response to predictable violence.

Critics believe the country has a reason to worry over its security ahead of the polls as senior government officials charged with the responsibility to create a safe space choose silence and avoidance as goons wreak havoc.

Stakeholders fear the country risks sliding into another circle of election-related violence if the growing trend of political goonism is not contained, claiming that security agencies are willingly participating in creating an atmosphere of violence.

“Kenya cannot continue on a path where those mandated to protect citizens watch as political goons take over public spaces, leading to the death of two people, including a police officer. That is how a country begins sliding into anarchy,” argues Lawyer Moses Ombayo.

He said the Homa Bay violence should be treated as a serious warning, arguing that failure by State agencies to act decisively could embolden political groups to use violence as a tool of political mobilisation.

Multiple times, the security and response by their top leadership has been a subject of debate as more lives are lost to the government’s ineptitude and laxity to hit the final nail on the coffin of political goonism.

Yesterday, as two families mourned the deaths of two lives that were lost as a result of the brutal attack by goons on the Linda Mwananchi convoy, questions shifted back to the Interior Ministry.

Also on the spot were leaders who have been accused of orchestrating violence and beating war drums. But despite the concerns, all the relevant voices were dead silent as the Interior Ministry turns its head away from President William Ruto’s allies accused of orchestrating violence.

The violence that disrupted the Linda Mwananchi movement’s tour of Homa Bay on Sunday has placed Kenya’s internal security machinery under intense scrutiny, exposing a troubling gap between the Government’s assurances of protection and actual dedication to walk the talk.

For days, security agencies had been on notice that the August 16 political gathering  could become a flashpoint. And still police watched on the sidelines as Linda Mwanainchi teams came under direct attacks by goons that had been stationed in various spots.

The political temperature in Homa Bay had risen steadily, with rival camps exchanging accusations, warnings and increasingly combative rhetoric. There were allegations of plans to mobilise youths, concerns over possible attacks and reports of previous confrontations involving members of the Linda Mwananchi movement.

Yet when the political caravan arrived, roads were barricaded with stones and logs, bonfires were lit and groups of youths confronted the visitors.

Vehicles were damaged, property was destroyed, and journalists covering the events were attacked, sustaining various levels of injuries. At least one person was reported dead following the violence.

The most uncomfortable part for the security establishment is that the violence came only three days after Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo publicly assured the country that the State had a security plan in place.

Speaking on August 13, Omollo said the Government would protect organisers and participants and warned that criminal elements would not be allowed to interfere with the political gathering.

“Everybody has a right to go to any corner of the country and converse their issues,” Omollo said, insisting that criminal acts linked to political contestation would not be tolerated.

The events of Sunday have therefore raised questions not merely about policing after violence erupted, but about the effectiveness of the intelligence, prevention and coordination mechanisms under the internal security docket.

The warnings did not begin on Sunday.

Linda Mwananchi leaders had publicly expressed fears over possible disruption of their Homa Bay tour. Siaya Governor James Orengo and other members of the movement had raised concerns over alleged plans to mobilise groups against them.

On Friday, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua went further, alleging that senior Government officials were behind plans to organise goons to disrupt the rally.

Gachagua specifically named Omollo and Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga, although he did not provide publicly verifiable evidence to substantiate the allegations.

The Government did not accept those allegations. Instead, Omollo gave assurances that the police would maintain law and order.

That assurance makes the eventual scenes even more difficult for the security establishment to explain.

By Sunday morning, roads into and out of Homa Bay had reportedly been blocked with large stones, while videos showed groups of youths gathered at strategic points.

The question now is whether the State’s intelligence machinery failed to detect a threat that was already being discussed publicly, or whether the threat was detected but the response was inadequate.

Either explanation would raise serious concerns about the preparedness of the internal security system.

The violence has also exposed serious questions over the leadership of the internal security docket, from Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and PS Omollo to Inspector-General of Police Douglas Kanja.

Despite escalating political tensions, public warnings and assurances that adequate security would be provided, agencies under their command failed to prevent the violence.

The State appeared to watch as goons took over parts of Homa Bay, raising uncomfortable questions about whether security agencies were overwhelmed, unprepared or simply too slow to act.

Public and governance expert Calvin Ambula argues that the constitutional responsibility of security agencies is not to protect one political camp from another.

“It is to protect every Kenyan, regardless of political affiliation. Their responsibility becomes particularly important during political gatherings, where the right to assemble, demonstrate and express political views is protected by the Constitution,” he says.

According to Ambula, Homa Bay provided a disturbing picture of ordinary citizens being left exposed as political groups confronted each other.

“The scenes of youths blocking roads and attacking political supporters were not simply a breakdown of political etiquette. They represented a direct challenge to the authority of the State,” Ambula said.

The opposition and civil society groups argue that the internal security docket risks losing public confidence if it is seen as being more effective at reacting to violence than preventing it.

“And that is where the description of security agencies as an ‘enemy of the people’ gains political currency, not because every police officer is responsible for the violence, but because citizens expect the State to stand between them and organised political violence,” Ambula said.

The assault on journalists made the incident even more serious.

Political analyst David Owino similarly warned against normalising political violence and questioned what happens when citizens lose confidence in institutions mandated to protect them.

“The danger is not just what happened in Homa Bay. It is the message being sent when violence happens despite prior warnings and there is no visible deterrent,” Owino said.

Several journalists covering the confrontation were attacked, with equipment and personal belongings taken or destroyed. The victims included journalists working for major media organisations, among them The Standard, Royal Media Services, Mediamax and AFP.

Amnesty International Kenya condemned the violence, including attacks on journalists, disruption of media broadcasts, destruction of property and unlawful road blockades.

The organisation accused security agencies of failing to take timely and effective action and called for an independent review of the police response.

“Security agencies must protect everyone, uphold constitutional rights and act impartially. All reported violations must be independently investigated, and those responsible held accountable,” Amnesty said in its statement.

The political environment in Homa Bay had been combustible long before Sunday, yet questions are now being raised over why the internal security machinery did not act decisively to prevent a predictable confrontation.

Governor Gladys Wanga and leaders allied to the ODM and supporting the broad-based arrangement with President William Ruto have been engaged in an increasingly bitter political confrontation with the Linda Mwananchi faction, led by figures including Orengo, Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino.

Wanga had previously warned against importing violence into Homa Bay while also accusing her political opponents of creating unnecessary confrontation.

Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma has also emerged as one of the fiercest critics of the Linda Mwananchi campaign, particularly its “one-term” message against President Ruto.

His statements and warnings before the visit have attracted attention following Sunday’s violence.

Kaluma had warned the Linda Mwananchi team against taking what he called the “useless Wantam” slogans to Homa Bay.

More controversially, he declared that the “one-term” slogan was prohibited in Homa Bay and warned those who used it of unspecified consequences

He also warned hotels against hosting members of the “one-term” camp, threatening that both the guests and the establishments would be dealt with.

At the end, one hotel was attacked on Saturday night.

Homa Bay’s latest violence is also troubling because it was not an isolated incident.

In May, Orengo’s Linda Mwananchi tour  of parts of Homa Bay was also disrupted by violence, with allegations of roadblocks, stone-throwing and attacks on members of his team. Orengo subsequently accused Wanga of being behind the attacks, allegations the governor’s camp rejected.

Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has now entered the debate, questioning how the violence could have occurred without the knowledge of the President and National Security Council.

“I cannot see how the violence in Homa Bay would have happened without the knowledge of the National Security Council and the President. He receives intelligence briefings wherever he is,” Matiang’i said on Monday.