County bosses to meet top security chiefs

The persistent push by governors for a say in the management of security in the counties could bear fruit after they secured a meeting with top security chiefs.

The county chiefs will have a one-day consultative forum with Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery and Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinett at Kempsiki Hotel on Wednesday.

At the meeting, governors will be taken through security strategies by two Israeli security experts. Attorney General Githu Muigai, development partners that support security and representatives from the Judiciary are also expected to attend.

Both the governors and Opposition chiefs have been pushing to have governors play a role in security matters in an effort to secure their respective counties from terrorism, banditry and cattle rustling among other crimes.

Security is one of the priority issues included in their Pesa Mashinani and the Opposition's Okoa Kenya proposed law. County chiefs want a County Policing Committee, to be chaired by governors, set up.

The move, the county bosses say, was informed by failure by the national government to set up the County Policing Authority, two years on.

Governors Isaac Ruto (Bomet), Ali Roba (Mandera), Peter Munya (Meru) and Hassan Joho (Mombasa), on behalf of other governors, have appealed to Nkaissery to urgently convene a consultative meeting to discuss the collaboration between the two levels of government as agreed during the governors' summit.

"We reiterated our readiness and willingness to work with the national government if called upon to address the issues of security," said Mr Munya.

He continued: "We are at the grassroots. It will be easy to engage with locals and get surveillance on any attacks or criminals. We should be vigilant."

The Council of Governors legal committee chairman said security of Kenyans is a national concern and therefore all stakeholders should be involved to tackle insecurity.

"As governors, we want to play a role in security matters. We can engage locals and get intelligence reports on what is happening and avert attacks," he said.

Munya, Roba and Joho said terrorism is a global threat and there must be goodwill for nations to deal with it decisively.

"The security of a nation is the backbone of its economy. Investors might shy away from regions prone to attacks," advised Joho.