Enjoy the holidays but do not lower your guard

The festive season has intrinsically prompted Kenyans to start freeing up their schedules to relax and recharge after a busy year. Every Kenyan wants to make the holidays enjoyable, memorable and restful to rejuvenate for the new year.

But this can only happen when security is guaranteed across the country for merrymaking in entertainment spots, homesteads, places of worship and other holiday destinations. This is important to protect lives, guard properties and safeguard critical installations as criminals never go on holiday.

Cognizant of the security threats during the festive season, the government has rolled out security measures. The National Multi-Agency Command Centre (NMACC), domiciled at Lang’ata Barracks, will coordinate security operations across the country. It will be augmented by Regional Multi-Agency Command Centres (RMACCs) and County Multi-Agency Command Centres (CMACCs) to deal with security threats and maintain order.

Information from the Interior and National Administration Ministry indicate that all security agencies, including National Police Service (NPS), Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), National Intelligence Service (NIS), Kenya Prisons Service (KPS), Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), Kenya Coast Guard Service (KCGS) and Kenya Forestry Service (KFS) are involved in security management during the festive season. NPS has already deployed over 10,000 police officers across the country.

Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo has disclosed that more specialised police units, including the dreaded Special Operations Group (SOG), all-female Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) as well as undercover officers have been activated to supplement general duty police officers. Security agencies will conduct intelligence-led operations to neutralise threats to enable citizens enjoy the holidays.

The SOG tactical team is renowned for fighting Al-Shabaab terrorists. The elite paramilitary unit is currently involved in counterterrorism operations in high-stakes environments like Lamu and Northeastern region to neutralise the terrorism threat. Its involvement in the security operations during the festive season therefore will be a game changer in complementing regular police.

Although security agencies have degraded terrorism threats, Kenya is not completely off the hook as long as our neighbour Somalia remains an Al-Shabaab playground. In the spirit of good neighbourliness and in cognizance that terrorism is a transnational crime, Kenyan security agencies need to continue to support Somalia security forces.

Citizens and other stakeholders need to work with security agencies to enhance security during the festive season. If you see something suspicious, report to the police as security starts with you. The holiday period is also prone to other crimes such as burglary, muggings, robberies, pick-pocketing, drink driving, spiking of drinks, shoplifting, fraud and murder. Most robberies occur when people are away on vacation, especially in unsafe neighbourhoods. Stakeholders in the transport industry also need to observe traffic rules to prevent road accidents. Let us create awareness to restore sanity in our roads. 

-The writer is a member of the Crime Journalists Association of Kenya (CJAK)