KENYA: KEEP POLITICS OUT OF MATTERS ON SECURITY – PAPER
The Standard website, Nairobi
15 Mar 06
Text of editorial entitled “Keep politics out of matters on security”
published by Kenyan newspaper The Standard website on 15 March
Two days have passed since the two Armenian “brothers” at the centre
of a political and national security storm pompously announced their
presence in the country. During this time, neither the minister for
national security, the commissioner of police nor director of CID
[Criminal Investigation Department] – the three men in-charge of our
security – has spoken.
Instead, there have been allegations and counter-allegations,
degenerating a very delicate matter of national concern into shadow
boxing between the government and opposition leaders.
Such indifference and inertia is unnerving and worrying. Kenyans would
like to know the Kenya Airports Authority officer who staged managed
the “arrival” of the foreigners at the Jomo Kenyatta International
Airport on Monday [13 March] morning and cleared them to use the
VIP lounge, and the motivation for the unprocedural action. It is
also important for the government to explain why the “brothers” were
driven to the airport in a GK car with escort, and who authorized it.
These are critical questions that must be answered if only to clear
the government of complicity. It is not enough for State House to
warn politicians against dragging the institution into the muck, the
government has the resources to get to the root of the problem. The
current confusion is destabilizing our crucial sectors and it is not
in the interest of the government and the country for the paralysis
to continue.
Most of our institutions have collapsed due to political interference
and it would be improper for authorities to play poker with the core
of our sovereignty and nationhood.