Joseph Nkaissery’s appointment only the first step in restoring peace

This week, I have been vindicated in constantly seeking to have insecurity declared a national disaster and dealt with the force and resources commensurate with the enormity of the malaise.

The exit of Joseph ole Lenku from the Interior Ministry and that of “the new sheriff in town”, Inspector General David Kimaiyo, are just one of many actions expected to win back hearts and minds of Kenyans.

Indeed, there is a new broom in town in Maj Gen (rtd) Joseph Nkaissery that is already getting tongues wagging. The shoulders of Mr Nkaissery must be stout enough to bear the grief of Kenyans even as he sets about ensuring the words “Internal Security” no longer ring hollow. It is at his desk that the buck will stop. It is he that shall be expected to stay awake late at night, arise early every morning and plod the length and breadth of this nation to reassure citizens that they are reasonably secure.

Indeed, as wordsmith PLO Lumumba spoke out on “Ethnicity as a Threat to Democracy in Kenya” at a forum organised by Kenya Human Rights Commission: “I refuse to believe that this country must run on the wheels of negative ethnicity where one’s ethnic extraction is the touchstone of ability; that is a veritable tower of Babel. But worry the least - I have a perfect recipe for national cohesion.

Let us combine the energy of the Luhya with entrepreneurship of the Kikuyu, with a dose of the Wakamba and Miji Kenda humility, the Maasai’s zeal and zest and the Luo’s quest for perfection and the beautiful qualities of all Kenyan nations and what looks like the tower of Babel will become the power of Babel”.

It remains the office of Mr Nkaissery that will be looked upon to re-organise logistics to deploy sufficient boots on the ground to allow Kenyans to go about their businesses without constantly looking over their shoulder.

Moderate Muslims will be expected to dispel the conspiracy of silence and flatly reject elements in their midst that seek to hijack their religion for nefarious purposes. There must be a mechanism akin to the Nyumba Kumi Initiative to flush out the black sheep in their midst, giving Islam a bad name by facilitating the infiltration of places of worship with guns and bombs as well as providing refuge, sustenance, finance and free passage to impostors seeking to preach hate and radicalisation of young Muslims.

That Kenyans’ way of life has been disrupted is not in doubt. No longer can one enter a place of worship, supermarket, public service vehicle or any public building without the ubiquitous security check. The climate of fear has so permeated that even the annual flow of tourists has trickled to an embarrassing low.

Religious fundamentalists have are driving a wedge among members of various faiths. The excuse is that they are avenging alleged mistreatment, systematic marginalisation of members of their faith and have declared any and all Kenyans, legitimate casualties of war in the name of God. Clearly, this is unacceptable!

Just how threatening are a bunch of quarry miners asleep in a tent? Or passengers seated placidly in a matatu? Or families and friends browsing through supermarket shelves? Or fans watching a football match? Or even teachers and civil servants en route to meeting loved ones?

I would like to believe Nkaissery’s appointment is not happenstance and that he, as an elected Opposition legislator, appreciates the magnitude of his mandate. He cannot afford to lose a minute for the life taken of any one Kenyan is one life too many.

As I wrote here last week, we have put in a lot of resources to improving security in the country. The new CS must therefore start by finding out why there are no positive results from these investments. He must guide the country in getting the right man or woman to fill Kimaiyo’s position and ensure a gel in the command structure of the police force.

Nkaissery must also use his evident influence in Parliament to ensure that all laws relating to security are amended and streamlined to ensure better co-ordination of security efforts.

Mr Nkaissery, your appointment is the first step to restoring public confidence, but this is not going to be of any use if we do not clean up the system.