Mr President, here is how you can sort out the Kenyan mess
A group of Kenyans have penned a letter to President Uhuru Kenyatta with recommendation of solutions to the problems bedeviling the country.
The Kenyans, led by political activist Boniface Mwangi, want firm action on insecurity, corruption, new NHIF rates as well as the sacking of State House Digital Director Dennis Itumbi.
The letter will be delivered to President Kenyatta next week at State House.
The logistics of the delivery are, however, yet to be thrashed out bearing in mind the security arrangements around the house on the hill.
Here is the full, unedited letter posted by Mr Mwangi:
RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE PRESIDENT
We would like to invite Kenyans to contribute to this document on how President Uhuru Kenyatta can improve the security of this country. We shall mobilise Kenyans from all walks of life to publicly deliver this letter to the gate of State House next week. Date to be confirmed. #LetterToThePresident
1. That the President fulfills every promise to the nation which he gave in the aftermath of the Westgate attack to institute a credible and comprehensive public inquiry into the failings of the security system. That inquiry must not, however be limited to terror attacks, but should investigate thoroughly the ability of the security apparatus and its servicemen to respond to all manifestations of insecurity including the resource conflicts in Northern Kenya, violent crime, growth of local militia and violence against women, etc.
2. That the Government fully implements the National Police Service Act to create a unified police service as required by the Act, and that the amendments made in June 2013 be reviewed. Further, that the Government implement the recommendations detailed in the report of the Independent Policing Oversight Authority’s report into the Mpeketoni attack.
3. That all office holders are held accountable for delivery of their mandates.
4. That the illegal deployment of the Kenya Defense Forces within Kenya without express authorization from Parliament cease immediately and any operations be stopped forthwith pending such authorization.
5. That the Government respect the rights of all Kenyans as it is required to by the Constitution and provide an unambiguous undertaking that it recognizes the sanctity of such rights.
6. All allegations of misconduct by security agents, for example as identified by the IPOA report into Operation Usalama Watch, are properly investigated and culprits punished.
7. The government should promote patriotism, to help people find a purpose to defend and protect our country right from lower primary to high school and universities
8. His Excellency the President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces MUST RE-READ his swearing-in statements. Particularly his sworn statement on protecting the lives and property of the people of Kenya.
9. The ‘Nyumba Kumi initiative’ should be fully implemented and locals and county governments should be involved in their local security initiatives fully.
10. Duale should be arrested for trivializing security in this country.
11. An Intelligence service that must be seen to work and proactive. For an agency that takes a huge chunk of the security budget without any visible results.
Thank you for the PURES program BUT Mr President its useless if ahead channels are blocked. Graduates are languishing in estates and every employer wants experience yet no one wants to give any.
12. That Dennis Itumbi is relieved of his position as “Director Digital” for tarnishing the image of Kenya with wild and unsubstantiated claims that the Norwegians are funding terror.
13. That his government stops any interruptions with the civil society, especially MUHURI and Haki Africa, two organizations known to fight against violent extremism and radicalization.
14. Mr President, there is no way that you will handle insecurity when the men and women charged with it are accused of all sorts of things. End corruption in the police force, and also do an investigation of KDF involvement in charcoal business.
15. Invest in Intelligence and introduce an online platform which will be monitored by NIS where citizen will be able to share information without revealing their identities.
16. Institute a legal framework that would allow all Kenyans over 18 years of age, conscript to the paramilitary after Form 4 to receive disciplinary training and serve for at least 1 year. This would equip all and sundry in the event of a terror attack and raise our awareness on matters national security.
17. Weeding Ds and Class 8 dropouts from the police force.
18. Its very worrying on the government is handling the whole Garissa issue since the Al Shabaab began hitting at our people. Am a very sad Kenyan for that matter.
19. Listen to the Muslims and allow them for security teams within their neighbourhoods, in generals the Imams and political leadership from the Muslim community are key to curb Al Shaabab.
20. Turn the ATPU in a semi autonomous anti terror agency with its own director general, fully staffed and equipped to handle terror. Attach RECCE and RDU units to the agency for tactical support.
21. No more mercy on corrupt officers, we want to hear they are rotting in jail; do it now.
22. Investigate the source of wealth of property owners in Eastleigh as they might be the direct beneficiaries of the illegal business from Somalia
23. Revamp the intelligence agency by having well qualified officers not some clueless youths claiming to be journalists and announcing to everyone that they work for the intelligence. Intelligence officers be sourced from mashinani, people who know people and the regions they hail from and let them be well remunerated.
24. Citizen police relationship should be improved so no one fears the other. All the information that the government needs to improve security is with the people, the common folks.
25. That the wide area camera surveillance system of the integrated security system being put up under the GoK – Safaricom contract be taken through a rationalization through a citizen and technocrat participation.
26. Audit the authenticity of Somalis with national IDs.
27. Appoint a national security advisor who sits at State House and to whom all state security organs report to for close supervision and collaboration of agencies.
28. Revive the Joint Anti Terror Task Force that was formerly headed by Major General Michael Gichangi that had mandate to organise coordinate and run all anti terror, drug trafficking and international money laundering efforts centrally.
29. The NIS should revert to the old school recruiting of agents within communities as opposed to graduates and rich kids as field agents. The act should be amended to give arms and powers to conduct preemptive actions rather than rely on National police for action.
30. The state should review the gun control policy in the country.
31. The state should intensify the disarmament programme in the country. Only police officers should be allowed to have guns. All private licences to own guns be revoked.
32. Resign.
33. The state should sign and ratify the Arms Trade Treaty that came into force in December 2014. This treaty is a critical instrument in the control of illegal transfer of arms into the country. It’s worrying that the state is yet to sign and ratify this international obligation yet it stands to benefit most.
34. The formation of a homeland security that only comprises the regular police, AP and GSU, with a well structured chain of command. This should be an autonomous security arm, with its top chief appointed from men and women who have grown through the ranks in these units.
35. That the government should talk with one voice. That we should enhance partnerships with world powers to help us address insecurity. That we need to reconsider our role in a foreign land, Somalia.
36. I think there should be a system in place for crowd control, to help us handle well large groups of people and the same team should also be responsible for security in public places and areas that have a big traffic of people e.g universities, bus stations and recreation facilities. this principle is applied in several other countries and has proven to work.
37. The government should consider tribalism and corruption as two main sources of insecurity in Kenya. Tribalism in appointment, promotion and posting of officers both in Police and civil service is working against having the “pride of Kenya” many people appointed feel obliged to honor tribesmen who appointed them as opposed to serving, while others think they don’t care as “Kenya iko na wenyewe”. This small matter makes many not to care defending their motherland as they will lose nothing.
38. Duale is the problem… why is he entertaining Duale? Duale should be arrested and squeezed between his legs to produce his other terrorists.
39. Let’s equip our police service, motivate them by paying them well. Mr President, in politics there is no tenure, sack without mercy whoever is not performing. Walk the talk your excellency.
39. What are security systems?How do we develop them? (System development key phases). Agile approaches to developing systems, Security development roles and skills, Requirements of security, Requirement gathering methods, Managing stakeholders, documentation techniques, prototyping and security design, design security class diagrams and security sequence (protocol) diagrams, testing security system, and security, implementation and support of security system.
40. Kutenda na Kutenda kusema achia Kasuku.
41. We want the president to stop NHIF from deducting a lot of money from Kenyans. We need the old rates back.
42. Corruption needs to be dealt with at all levels of government. This is the reason why we keep losing lives carelessly. The moment we deal with such selfishness and greed is the day we become safe. Additionally, include benefits and additional perks for the security forces and also for their families, upgrade the weaponry and protective gear, teach the security personnel on intelligence tactics.
43. Find those who have the courage to steal a phone in a banking hall.
44. Pay the police well, that is the starting point to ending corruption in the service.
45. Your government MUST demand a list of financiers of Al Shabaab from Duale. You should fire him for trivializing security matters.
46. 47. Stop politicizing security matters.