Security: We must not relent on terror war

This week started on a very sad note. Last Sunday twin attacks in Garissa town by terrorists that killed 17 people and injured 66 others was no doubt a clear indication that those behind the heinous crimes are getting bolder and would not stop at anything to achieve their intended mission.

Sunday attacks on Garissa AIC and Garissa Catholic churches were not the first staged by suspected Al Shabaab militiamen and their sympathisers.

The terrorists and their elements have staged other attacks in Nairobi and Mombasa that have caused deaths of innocent Kenyans and loss of property.

There is no doubt the attackers’ aim is to cow the Government to withdraw Kenya Defence Forces from Somalia where they are involved in the war against the Al Shabaab militants.

As one of our columnists also rightly notes today, the group is attacking our national sovereignty, statehood, and integrity and there is need to vigorously fight it.

In addition, these attacks have made Western powers to irrationally impose travel bans on Kenya, which have a great repercussion on the national economy and development. The country generates billions of shillings in direct revenues from tourism, but this will drastically fall, as few tourists will visit the country as long as these attacks continue.

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Further, no serious foreign investors would invest in Kenya if terrorism continues, as the security and ease of doing business are not guaranteed.
The latest attacks therefore show that we can no longer take security for granted, and the Government must step up its game in enhancing security.

This perhaps explains why the Garissa attacks have jolted the Government into action with top police officers being reshuffled and roping in vigilante groups in North Eastern Province to help in the war on terrorism.

And on Thursday, President Kibaki issued a stern warning to the Al Shabaab militant and said the Government will not relent in its fight against terrorism.

The President, who spoke when he officially opened Nakuru County annual Agricultural Society of Kenya show, said the Government would pursue those who seek to harm and intimidate us. He said the safety of Kenyans and their property is the priority of the Government.

As the President noted, peace and security are key ingredients in the country’s development. Indeed, the country has made great strides in development and we must not allow the gains to be frustrated by terrorists whose aim is to cause death and destruction of property.

We welcome President Kibaki’s resolve to hunt down the agents of terror and protect the lives of innocent Kenyans. We also welcome the changes announced by Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere.

However, we must reiterate that this must be accompanied by strict security checks and controls that will make it hard for the bad elements among us to execute their heinous acts.

This is not the first time changes have been done in the police force and the Provincial Administration to enhance national security. But such changes have not yielded the desired results because we have been reactive in the way we deal with challenges.

We must now be proactive in the way we handle security matters. This will require us to seal loopholes that allow terrorists to enter the country and even recruit local youth into their dirty activities. It is no secret that in the past, we have allowed aliens to enter and roam the country freely, but little is done to check their activities.

As a country, we must resolve to fight terrorism in all fronts: One of the ways is to support the Prevention of Terrorism Bill 2012, which is due to be tabled in Parliament in the coming weeks. It is encouraging that some Muslim leaders have now backed the Bill.

The Bill, which was introduced in Parliament for the first time in 2003, was later withdrawn after stakeholders, including a section of Muslims, criticised it. The Government plans to re-introduce it after several amendments.

All said and done, citizens must also play their part in fighting terrorism.