Joseph Nkaissery’s in-tray will be overflowing

What you need to know:

  • The National Assembly overwhelmingly endorsed Mr Nkaissery’s nomination, who is expected to be sworn in on Monday, and it’s now up to the retired major-general to fix serious outstanding security issues, key among them the Al-Shabaab threat, general insecurity and killings related to cattle rustling in northern Kenya.
  • The retired military officer will sit in the National Security Council at a time the topmost organ that determines the direction the country takes in security matters has recognised Kenya is at war — at home and in Somalia.
  • Radicalisation of the youth, a dysfunctional National Police Service command structure, suspended police recruitment and squabbling among government security agencies are some of the other challenges Mr Nkaissery is expected to work on when he takes over.

When Major-General (rtd) Joseph Nkaissery takes over as Cabinet Secretary for Interior and Co-ordination of National Government, he will find an overflowing in-tray and overwhelming public expectation.

President Uhuru Kenyatta’s choice for Interior CS is designed to help restore confidence after what many critics thought was a lacklustre performance by outgoing minister Joseph ole Lenku.

The ministry’s core function is to keep Kenya safe and secure and to coordinate national government functions.

Its focus is internal security covering police, immigration, prisons and correctional services.

The National Assembly overwhelmingly endorsed Mr Nkaissery’s nomination, who is expected to be sworn in on Monday, and it’s now up to the retired major-general to fix serious outstanding security issues, key among them the Al-Shabaab threat, general insecurity and killings related to cattle rustling in northern Kenya.

President Kenyatta nominated Mr Nkaissery hours after Al-Shabaab terrorists killed 36 quarry workers in Mandera County.

A week earlier, militants in the same area stopped a bus, pulled out the passengers, and shot dead 28 people, mostly non-Muslims. 

“These attacks follow a pattern identical to the attacks on Christians in Lamu, sporadic attacks in Mombasa, Kwale, Garissa and Tana River. The obvious intent is to create hostility and suspicion across religious and ethnic lines and to drive non-Muslims from certain parts of this country. The ultimate aim of this atrocious campaign is to establish an extremist caliphate in our region,” the President said on the day he nominated Mr Nkaissery.

COUNTER-TERRORISM POLICIES

The incoming CS will, therefore, face the task of providing leadership and the right counter-terrorism policies.

The retired military officer will sit in the National Security Council at a time the topmost organ that determines the direction the country takes in security matters has recognised Kenya is at war — at home and in Somalia.

Radicalisation of the youth, a dysfunctional National Police Service command structure, suspended police recruitment and squabbling among government security agencies are some of the other challenges Mr Nkaissery is expected to work on when he takes over.

Unresolved welfare and equipment issues are also on the table. These include the perennial police housing crisis, the proposed police medical scheme which has dragged on for years, payments to families of officers killed in the line of duty, efforts to match police to population ratio, and acquisition of vehicles and modern equipment.

In regard to boosting police numbers, the government enlisted 10,000 recruits in July, but they are yet to start training because the recruitment was successfully challenged in court by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority. An appeal is pending. Another challenge is that the authority, the National Police Service Commission and the top brass of the police do not read from the same script. The relationship between these agencies has deteriorated to the lowest ebb. Critics will be keen to see how Mr Nkaissery handles the differences.

A senior ministry official said that even before the general’s entry, officers had begun to realise that the animosity directed towards authority was unwarranted. Then there is the promised salary increment, which stalled after initial instalments were paid.

During vetting, the retired general supported legal amendments to give the President powers to hire and fire the Inspector General of Police.

After President Kenyatta signed the Security Laws (Amendments) Bill on Friday, it appears Mr Nkaissery is in a better position to have a bigger say in security matters.

In a speech this week, Mr Nkaissery said his work would not be influenced by politicians.