Security agencies in the spotlight ahead of referendum

By Gakuu Mathenge and Stephen Makabila

Security agencies, State corporations, and local authorities that operate paramilitary outfits among them Kenya Wildlife Services, Kenya Forest Service and local authorities that ran games reserves and employ armed rangers are under the spotlight as the referendum campaign enters homestretch.

Due to tension reported in some regions with a history of clashes, there are concerns a replica of the violence that followed the 2007/08 presidential election, when many believe the security agencies were caught off-guard.

Kenya National Commission on Human Rights commissioner, Hassan Omar said in a recent interview: "Monitoring efforts are leaving nothing to chance. Security agencies have failed Kenyans in the past and must be held to account for any nasty incident that happens during and after the referendum. Besides the police, and local authorities whose forests, game reserves and game parks have been used as training grounds and hideouts by militias must be alert to ensure their facilities are not used for illegal activities. They also ran armed security outfits including game rangers. They should also be ready to account for their staff, both on and off duty should anything happen in the vicinity on their facilities."

And as the referendum looms, more than 11,000 security officers have been deployed to potential hotspots.

Some of the hotspots include Eldoret, Mt Elgon, Burnt Forest, Kisumu, Kakamega, Trans Mara, Kuresoi, Molo and Kericho.

Police Commissioner, Mathew Iteere, has assured everything would be done to ensure a peaceful referendum process.

Campaign monitors including National Cohesion and Integration Commission have been reported tension in some of these areas ahead of the referendum, but the Provincial Administration has disputed these claims.

Peace and Development Network Trust Chief Executive Mutuku Nguli had gone ahead to announce mapped areas where civil servants had started fleeing ahead of the referendum.

However, Mt Elgon DC Farah Kassim, whose district had been named as one of those areas public servants are fleeing, disputes the claims.

"The MP, all councillors and all community leaders are campaigning for ‘No’ and it is their right. So who will attack who?" he poses. Wareng County Council Chairman Paul Kiprop concurs, noting the region is secure and it is needless for the Government to worry about police reinforcements.