NAIROBI: To err is human and we all have shortcomings. However, some things that happen in Kenya or to Kenyans are scary.
I’m not an expert of any shade on presidential travel, but common sense tells me this is one of the most organised and secured of all.
The reasons are logical and valid. I don’t expect President Uhuru Kenyatta or any other civilised country’s leader to travel without a clearly-thought-out plan.
It is too risky even for the country, more so our own, which is too divided that anything can spark a mess.
Moreover, preserving and protecting human life is a duty bestowed on everyone. That the President’s plane can make a U-turn to Nairobi while already in a different territory due to bungled planning or entering a dangerous zone for whatever reason is a serious omission.
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It is a great shame for this country. How do we even look among the comity of nations?
Don’t we look shoddy? Moreover, if we could risk the president getting into a security risk (if at all that is the case) what else is going wrong?
If it is lack of clearance from Eritrea as is alleged, then why did we venture into their air space in the first place? How do some of these things that look like action movies happen?
The public has an interest in this matter. At any rate, the security lapses that have exposed us to terror attacks show our is a system gone awry. Well, in terms of securing the country and the public, it will require an overhaul; elaborate re-engineering of the systems in place and crackdown on corruption, which makes our systems porous and easy for criminals to thrive.
The lapses should not have happened in the first place, if we are decent in any respect. The President getting exposed on air is a lapse gone too far.
It is human to make mistakes, but some just go too far to demonstrate laxity, recklessness, ineptitude or casualness on those responsible.
Could there have been miscommunication? Could some people have assumed others had done their part when it is was not the case?
Is there a possibility there were overlaps that went wrong? Could it be sabotage? I know change sometimes faces fierce resistance.
Freedom and the fight against evil has its share of enemies, so we can’t even rule out sabotage. Anything is possible, more so in Kenya. I think we need to clean our act a bit.
If the Dubai route was risky due to issues around Ethiopia and Eritrea or the war in Yemen, there was a chance to go through Europe. The long and short of it is that we need answers.
