President Uhuru Kenyatta urges Kenyans to play role in ensuring country’s security

President Uhuru Kenyatta meets the National Security Advisory Council at State House in Nairobi on November 26, 2014. The President has called on Kenyans to play their role in ensuring the country is secure. PHOTO | PSCU | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The President said citizens should also play their part where necessary to ensure the county is secure.
  • The President spoke during the launch of the National Policy for Response Prevention to Gender Violence at the University of Nairobi.
  • This was the first time President Kenyatta spoke about the security lapses in the country following the killings of 28 people by Al-Shabaab militants in Mandera.
  • At the same time, the President urged Kenyans not to watch as criminals broke the law.

President Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday told Kenyans to stop blaming only the government for rising insecurity.

The President said citizens should also play their part where necessary to ensure the county is secure.

“No matter how much we do, there will never be one policeman for everyone and unless we work together with the security forces, the responsibility lies on me and you,” a tough-talking President told a gathering at the University of Nairobi grounds.

The President spoke during the launch of the National Policy for Response Prevention to Gender Violence, set to coincide with the start of the annual women’s global campaign dubbed "16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence".

This was the first time President Kenyatta spoke about the security lapses in the country following the killings of 28 people by Al-Shabaab militants in Mandera last Saturday.

He was accompanied by First Lady Margaret Kenyatta. Others were Devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru, National Assembly Majority Leader Adan Duale and MPs Cecily Mbarire (Runyenjes) and Moses ole Sakuda (Kajiado North).

SECURITY MEETING

The President, who earlier held a meeting with the country’s security chiefs at State House, said though he had been out of the country, he was following comments that people have been making on social media.

Following the Mandera attack, Kenyans on social media demanded that the President take charge of the security situation as the country’s Head of State.

Several leaders have been piling pressure on President Kenyatta to sack top security chiefs, among them Inspector-General of Police David Kimaiyo and Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph ole Lenku.

“I agree that our security (organs) must do more to protect the people and as a government we have worked to ensure we equip them well and provide them with vehicles.

“We have also looked at their welfare and we shall do more to ensure that there is enough security for our citizens,” the President said.

He challenged Kenyans to also play their role in ensuring the country is secure.

“Are the police going to be everywhere? What is your responsibility as a citizen? We must get back to the basics and ask ourselves, what is our responsibility?” reiterated the President.

STRIPPING OF WOMEN

At the same time, the President urged Kenyans not to watch as criminals broke the law.

He cited several incidents where people have watched others commit a crime while doing nothing to prevent it.

One of these incidents was the stripping of a woman on the streets of Nairobi for allegedly dressing indecently, an event that provoked outrage.

“People watched and did nothing. Others were recording what was happening. What did they do to help the lady? What is your responsibility as citizens?” he asked amid cheers from the crowd.

KAPEDO VISIT

He recalled his recent visit to Kapedo, on the boundary of Baringo and Turkana counties, where bandits from the Pokot community had killed 19 police officers and three civilians.

“I addressed a meeting and leaders were asking me to forgive the raiders since they had mistaken the police (for) Turkana raiders. To them it is right to kill a Turkana.

“These leaders are the first to blame the government and then they say such things in front of me,” said the President.