Baseless claims will hurt war on terrorism

While I commend the swift manner in which the police have moved to allay fears of mass graves in Mandera County, it is unfortunate that both national and county leaders have taken advantage of the situation to gain political mileage.

The war on terrorism demands that everybody gets on board, including Muslim communities and residents of northern Kenya and coastal regions.

Our politicians and security agencies must take care not to engage in actions or activities or make unsubstantiated allegations that bring suspicion and antagonise the relationship between security agencies and local communities. These communities are a valuable source of intelligence on terrorism activities.

Local communities must realise the impact of terrorism on their businesses and co-operate with security agencies.

On the other hand, the claims of extra-judicial killings and mass graves are very unsettling. These claims point to the creation of a demon (in form of extra-judicial killings) to fight another demon (terrorism) and should be investigated.

Security agencies, local leaders and local communities should desist from making sensational claims and accusations before investigations are done.