House Committee on Administration and National Security differs on county security team

By ALPHONCE SHIUNDU

KENYA: A powerful parliamentary committee was sharply divided about the role of governors in managing security in the counties. The lawmakers also differed when it came to the creation of two new positions between that of Deputy Inspector General and Senior Superintendent of Police.

Members of House Committee on Administration and National Security failed to agree on the two issues forcing chairman Asman Kamama (Tiaty MP) to postpone the topics until after next week’s meeting between the committee and top Government officials from Interior ministry.

Some of the MPs backed governors as the final authority on security matters in counties, while others said governors were “politicians who might use the clout that comes with security to suppress their opponents”.

Security threat

“As politicians, we are always partisan. As a governor, if I was allowed to run security in my county, I will begin with my opponent. All I need to do is designate him as a security threat,” said Mr Shabaan Isaack Ali (Lafey MP) at the meeting in Nairobi’s Continental House. Mr David Gikaria (Nakuru Town East MP) and Ms Alice Wahome (Kandara MP) added that it was “unconstitutional” to give governors any role in “national security” because, that was the role of national government. The duo said the governor or his nominee should never be allowed to chair the County Policing Authority.  “He can be a member but let someone else chair that authority. The only thing we are scared of is having governors with all that power,” said Mr Gikaria.