Our Freedoms Cannot Be Relinquished At The Cheap Price Of Rhetoric

Every time I hear of massacres, political corruption, pseudo-religious profiteering, apathetic response to public concerns and many other ills bedeviling this nation, I silently come to the conclusion that reason and public good have been replaced by short-term noise-making-ism. 

Kenyans may be excused for their escalating pessimism, and especially, on matters touching their government - and (elected) leaders. But, yes, I'm reminded that this pessimism is founded on the glaring government inadequacies and absence of robust citizen-minded approach to matters security.

No wonder someone remarked that our police chiefs have been reduced to obituary reporters - as opposed to what they ought to do - protecting lives and properties.

State monopoly of security has been challenged. Citizens have rightly pointed this out. On the other hand, State functionaries and politicos have consistently denied this.

Needless to say, this push-and-pull has left many dead, orphaned, widowed and in deep pain. As usual, truth has suffered many blows as emotions and high-level rhetoric take center stage blurring any attempt to engage in a constructive, objective discourse on matters Kenya.

The future prospects of this nation should not be delinked from the present security challenges. For no nation that aspires to be an economic leader and a haven for prosperity shall allow the lives of its citizens to be snatched away every minute - unchallenged. Development begets growth which in turn creates an emboldened citizenry.

Freedom - as a pillar of any democratic construct - cannot be guaranteed in an environment devoid of security, where dignity of life has lost its meaning.

Put it differently, the safety of Kenyans comes atop all other national priorities for prosperity - material or otherwise - to trickle down to all.

Again, guarantees of economic liberation are centrally a security issue. Unfortunately, our national definition of security has remained skewed and shallow. Centrality of security guarantees to all citizens - regardless of their status - is no more our national guiding philosophy. Recent massacres (in Mpeketoni, Kapedo and Mandera) and government response (or lack of it) cement this.

Protection - especially for the bottom majority - remains a national shame. 'Personality importance' - albeit its resultant national malaise - continues to shape our security deployment and media attention. We have slowly, but surely, actualized the awkward reality of two Kenyas - one for the protected and the other for the poor fellows whose life goes for a penny and whose dignity preoccupies no officialdom. 

Our understanding of security challenges starts and ends with killings and burial arrangements. Makes one wonder if the media and its apathetic government clientele have ever quantified the weight and challenges shouldered by Kenyans. 

How many widows and orphans has insecurity created for the last one year? How many hospitals and schools have been robbed of their dedicated workers? How many pregnant mothers and newborn babies will perish in Mandera County, for instance, because doctors and nurses withdrew their services to protest against deteriorating security conditions?

We can fly blames to one another. We can smooth-talk all these security nightmares as mere artificial constructs. We can hire our own private security. But the inescapable reality is right here with us. The people must be assured of their safety regardless of their status and location in this country.

I agree security is a shared responsibility. The people are the primary promoters of peace. But the actionable component rests with the State. To blame the people for insecurity is purely arrogant and smacks of a security system calling for an urgent, radical overhaul.

Essentially, the government banks on the willingness of the people to share intelligence in order to achieve its operational targets. This, in my view, can only materialize when confidence in State control and security monopoly is felt by all and sundry.

For it serves no purpose to deliver loads of intelligence briefs to a government that is outwardly reactionary and inwardly clueless.

I side with Wanjiku. Intelligence briefs can only be delivered if tangible follow-ups happen. To achieve this, top security honchos must re-invent the wheel. 

I long for some quick starts. Purge saboteurs. Pay officers handsomely. Flexibility of the mind and admission of guilt is a must. Remove this always-deny-when-caught-syndrome from government official lingo.

The State must put its act together to win public trust. We are tired of these massacres.

Lemukol Ng'asike is an Architect. E-mail:  lemoseh89@gmail.com.  Twitter:  @mlemukol.