Help us fight terrorism, radicalistaion, Nkaissery tells courts

Interior Cabinet Secretary has asked the Judiciary to help to fight terrorism and radicalisation.

Maj-Gen (Rtd) Joseph Nkaissery, without pointing an accusing finger at the judiciary, asked the courts to process deal with terrorism cases ‘swiftly and firmly’ so as to secure the country from terror activities.

“It is my sincere hope that our courts will prosecute these people (terrorists) swiftly and firmly and help secure our country,” he said.

According to him, the government is aware of the security vulnerability in some regions of the country but he was quick to assure that his government is doing what it can to address the inadequacies.

“It is because of such reasons that my Principal Secretary Amb. (Dr) Monica Juma and I traveled to the Coast region to hold consultative meetings with local leaders and regional security chiefs,” he said.

Responding to media questions, Maj-Gen Nkaisserry said they had discussed ways and strategies to use in dealing with drug traffickers and drug dens operating in the region.

He cited Kwale County as one of the entry points of ‘raw bhang’ and cocaine saying they had already instructed the security agencies to deal with the matter and stop the drug business once and for all.

“We have formed inter-regions’ (counties) coordination and reporting system that will share information and alerts for easy tracking and arrest of those behind drug business,” he said.

The security apparatus, according to him, are mapping out all the drug dens from sub-counties’ level to the counties through intelligence with the sole purpose of eradicating the vice in the country.

AMNESTY

On amnesty, Mr Nkaissery said it was still open for youth who have joined terror gangs or radicalised youth who were to ‘surrender’ to the government for rehabilitation and reintegration to the society.

“In fact today while I was talking to the Mombasa County security team, I told them to handle the returnees humanely so that we encourage more to surrender to the government through the ongoing amnesty,” he said.

However, pressed to give an exact number of the returnees Maj-Gen Nkaisserry declined saying they were several and some could have reported then as he was addressing the media.

“On the issue of harassment, I have given firm instructions the youths who are surrendering should be given warm reception and debriefed before being allowed to join their families,” he said.

On missing youths from Mombasa County associated with Masjid Musa, the CS said the President had talked ‘passionately’ on Friday about parents reporting their missing children to the authorities.

“As it stands now, we do not know where the missing youths are and we are yet to get reports from individual families. We do not know whether they have crossed the border or they are still somewhere,” he said adding the government was investigating their whereabouts.

Asked whether the security agents were involved in their disappearances, Maj-Gen Nkaisserry said he had heard that allegation and he had already instructed his team to investigate the matter with the view of ascertaining its truth.

“It is good the whole security team is here (at County Commissioner Nelson Marwa’s Uhuru na Kazi Building), I personally this afternoon directed them to get to the bottom of this allegation so that I can inform the citizenry over the issue,” he said.

During the more than two hour meeting, the security team discussed about other things radicalisation and extremism, conflicts over county boundaries, poaching, influx of illegal migrants and militant gangs such as the Mombasa Republican Council (MRC).