Date: Fri, 4 Jul 2014 22:19:08 +0200
Politics and Terrorism - Kenyas Ticking Time Bombs
By Peter Aling'o, 4 July 2014
Analysis
Currently, Kenya faces a serious internal threat of rising insecurity.
Recent waves of terrorist attacks have further complicated the state's
internal security problems, and it is evident that the Kenyan government and
security system are either ineffective at utilising the security resources
and capabilities, or have no genuine political will to effectively respond
to increasing threats.
The state of affairs in Kenya from the 2007 and 2008 post-elections violence
to the recent Mpeketoni attacks seems to suggest that Kenya is simply
playing political games with the rising threat of insecurity and terrorism.
Ultimately, it is Kenya as a country and Kenyan citizens in general who will
pay the price as the time bombs of insecurity and the threat of terrorism
tick away towards explosion.
Since the Westgate Mall attack in Nairobi in September 2013 by the
al-Shabaab terrorist group, it has become popular in Kenya for the
government and the opposition to publicly politicise internal insecurity
problems - including the threat of terrorism. This has even assumed an
ethnic dimension, which, viewed in the context of Kenya's history of
negative ethno-political polarisation and violence, adds potency to the
ticking time bombs.
Seemingly, the Kenyan security agencies had information about the impending
Westgate Mall attack but failed to act in time to prevent or neutralise the
situation.
The uncoordinated and ineffective response to this attack enabled the
terrorist siege of the mall to last several days. Despite President Uhuru
Kenyatta and the government condemning the attack and promising stern action
against the perpetrators, Kenyans are yet to see this.
The commission of inquiry into the attack, which Kenyatta promised, is also
yet to be established. Furthermore, the period following the attack has seen
a frenzy of political scapegoating among the various government agencies,
and between government and the opposition, on whom should take
responsibility for having failed to prevent the attack.
Almost one year later, and despite a Parliamentary Committee Inquiry
confirming these challenges, many questions about responsibility and
accountability remain unanswered.
The government's post-Westgate response to the rising insecurity came
through the Nyumba Kumi (Ten Houses) initiative; Operation Usalama Watch;
and a multi-billion shilling project to install security surveillance
cameras in major cities.
The Nyumba Kumi initiative, though touted as a citizens' neighbourhood
watch, is suspected to be a government ploy to exert political control over
citizens. Operation Usalama Watch was largely perceived as a discriminatory
operation characterised by an undertone of religious profiling; and the
security surveillance project remains entangled in deep political debate.
These initiatives therefore appear to be underpinned by an overriding
political theme: that of consolidating the national psyche behind the
government in the face of terrorism, and the opposition's berating of
government on claims of poor performance and failure to deliver. They also
seem largely motivated by political expediency rather than well-thought-out
policy and strategy that can sustain durable solutions.
Insecurity has become a tool for political manipulation by government,
security agencies and opposition groups
However, insecurity - including terrorist attacks - has increased. Viewed in
the context of the on-going International Criminal Court (ICC) trials of
Kenyatta and his deputy - and the subsequent argument for the their trials
to be withdrawn based on the claim that they are undermining Kenya's
strategic leadership role in the region - two conclusions are derivable.
First; that there is simply no genuine political will to respond to the
increasing insecurity threats, and secondly; that insecurity has become a
tool for political manipulation by the government, state security agencies
and opposition groups. A pattern of well-orchestrated politicking, inertia
and political blame shifting motivated by narrow interests and focused on
gaining political mileage is discernible.
The recent Mpeketoni attacks in Lamu County, for which al-Shabaab officially
claimed responsibility and which left over 60 people dead, are further
instances of political manipulation of insecurity and terrorism.
Yet again, information was available on the impending attacks; but again
government had failed to act in time. In view of the Westgate Mall attack,
how is it possible that another incident of terrible neglect of duty and
inaction could happen - allowing more gruesome and horrific attacks?
The Mpeketoni attacks happened amid heightened political agitation and
tension over perceived government failure on a number of socio-economic and
political issues.
The opposition, led by Raila Odinga, has sought to gain political mileage
out of the situation by demanding national dialogue and threatening to
mobilise a constituency of disgruntled citizens against the government.
The government has responded by depicting the opposition as power-hungry
hate-mongers bent on overthrowing the government, inciting violence and
dividing the country along political and ethnic lines.
The heightened political tension and blame shifting seems to have created an
opportunity for long-standing political and ethnic grievances at the Kenyan
coastal region to blend with terrorism, as factors behind the attacks.
The opposition remains convinced that the attacks were acts of terrorism and
blamed them on government's ineptitude. The government, however, rubbished
al-Shabaab's claim of responsibility and instead accused the opposition of
fomenting ethno-political discord and violence in the country.
According to government, the Mpeketoni case was 'well planned, orchestrated
and politically motivated ethnic violence against a Kenyan community, with
the intention of profiling and evicting them for political reasons' and
emanating from 'the heightened political environment being experienced in
the country where politicians have incited people.'
Ultimately, it is the citizens of Kenya who will pay the heavy price of
security threats being manipulated by the government and the opposition.
What Kenya requires is national resolve to depoliticise security issues and
the threat of insecurity.
There must be a well-structured, multi-sectoral and multi-dimensional
approach towards insecurity and terrorism; devoid of narrow, partisan
political and ethnic interests, and coupled with a comprehensive policy and
strategy.
This would ensure appropriate, proactive and decisive counter-crime and
counter-terrorism action. The Kenyan political leadership and the citizens
must embrace this approach, regardless of their political and ethnic
affiliation.
Peter Aling'o, Office Head and Senior Researcher, Governance, Crime and
Justice Division, ISS Nairobi
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