Thursday, September 26, 2013

Security chiefs hard-pressed to explain how powerful explosives entered Kenya

Kenya NIS Director Michael Gichangi leaves parliament buildings after he met with Parliamentary Defence Committee on September 26, 2013. PHOTO/ANNE KAMONI

By PETER LEFTIE More by this Author

The country’s security agencies are on the spot over embarrassing security lapses that led to the deadly terrorist attack that killed 67 people, including civilians, security forces and at least five terrorists.

Also likely to come under serious scrutiny are the all-too obvious contradicting statements issued by senior government officials suggesting a deliberate campaign of misinformation or bungling by the government in a bid to down-play the magnitude of the terror attack.

Among those on the spot:

Joseph ole Lenku, Cabinet Secretary for Interior and Coordination of National Government

As Cabinet Secretary in charge of national security, Mr Lenku was the “official” government spokesman, charged with giving periodic updates on the progress of the campaign to neutralise terrorists and free hostages.

In one such update, Mr Lenku appeared to contradict his Cabinet colleague in charge of Foreign Affairs, Ms Amina Mohamed, on the possible involvement of a white female terrorist in the attack.

Mr Lenku had also exuded confidence when he declared that the evacuation of hostages had gone “very, very well” and that Kenyan officials were “very certain” that few, if any hostages, were left in the building, only for President Kenyatta to reveal that there could be bodies trapped in the collapsed mall.

Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo

As the man directly in charge of the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit, charged with detecting and combating terrorism, Mr Kimaiyo will be hard-pressed to explain the agency’s failure to detect movement of the huge cache of arms to the scene of the terror attack.

He will also be at pains to explain the rather slow police response and the glaring absence of a central command and clear rivalry between the various police units and the KDF, leading to the fatal shooting of the GSU officer by KDF personnel.

Mr Kimaiyo may also want to explain a rather misleading tweet to the effect that his forces had “taken control of all the floors. We’re not here to feed attackers with pastries...”, only for bursts of gunfire to erupt from the Mall the next morning, indicating the terrorists were far from vanquished.

Defence Cabinet Secretary Raychelle Omamo
Ms Omamo will be hard-pressed to explain the likely possibility that external aggressors could have sneaked in, even as the Kenya Defence Forces under her watch engaged Al-Shabaab at its doorstep in Somalia.

Kenya Defence Forces chief, General Julius Karangi

Gen Karangi will need to explain the lack of a clear command between the various police units and KDF resulting in the fatal shooting of the GSU officer by his officers.
National Intelligence Service Director General Michael Gichangi

Mr Gichangi is on the spot over the agency’s failure to detect the movement of the huge cache of arms used and why the Service failed to detect the presence of the terrorists.

The agency came under severe criticism during an emergency session by Parliament, with the MPs demanding a major overhaul of the NIS, accusing it of gobbling up billions of shillings without any tangible results.

“The intelligence department also needs radical surgery,” Lagdera MP Mohamed Shidiye said.

Directorate of Criminal Investigation Director Ndegwa Muhoro

Mr Muhoro will be held to account over his Directorate’s failure to detect the terrorists’ presence, movements and operations.

The Department of Immigration

The department, which falls under the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government, will also be under pressure to explain the issuance of travel documents to criminals from foreign countries after it emerged some of the terrorists could be foreign nationals.

One suspect in the attack is said to be a foreigner holding Kenyan passport.