More border security over Somalia threat

For the umpteenth time - the government has moved to reassure its citizens of heightened security along its borders following threats of invasion by Somali Islamist militants.

Internal Security Assistant minister Orwa Ojode said the government was not taking such threats lightly.

The Assistant minister said on Wednesday in Nairobi that security forces around the country were on high alert following threats by the militants who have demanded that Kenya withdraws its military presence on its borders.

Mr Ojode said the government would beef up security personnel not only along the porous borders, but also around the country to avert any intended terrorist attacks.

The Nation has learnt that the country has already began the process of marshalling its troops in the northern region to secure its borders with the war-torn country.

Said the Assistant minister, “I actually do not think that the presence of Kenyan forces along the Kenya-Somalia border will compromise security in the country.”

“But we are on high alert... should anything arise, we shall deal with it as appropriate and firmly. As we speak, the government is not aware of any threats to its territory,” he went on.

He added, “Bad elements might come into the country through some porous border, but we have our intelligence on the ground. We shall deal with them.”

He spoke moments after attending a disaster management conference in Nairobi.

Al-Shabaab, an insurgent movement that controls parts of south Somalia, has long resented Kenya’s support for the Western-backed government in Mogadishu.

Fearful of an unchecked flow of illegal immigrants and arms across its border, and mindful of past attacks in the region planned from Somalia, Kenya has been keeping a heavy military presence in North Eastern Province, a region that the al-Shabaab, has threatened to annex.

Prime Minister Raila Odinga on Monday hinted at a military solution to the crisis in war-torn Somalia.

At a joint press conference with Somali Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmake, Mr Odinga called on the international community to consider sending “military assistance” to the war-torn nation to arrest the armed conflict.

However, he was noncommittal on whether Kenya would send troops to Somalia.

Somalia has remained largely lawless since 1991 when its dictatorial president, Siad Barre, was deposed, plunging the country into decades of violence.

Meanwhile, Mr Ojode has hinted at a major shake-up of the country’s police force once the task force on the law enforcers tables its report soon.

“We are not talking about one man, you are likely to see a full surgery of the police force once the report is out - probably next month,” he said.

Added the Assistant minister, “People have been saying that we are not pro-reforms. This will be proved otherwise when the report comes out.”

He termed as 'isolated cases’ the increase in carjacking incidents around the city, adding that plans were underway to install more CCTV cameras to beef up security.