Columnist does not understand police

An article appearing in last week’s Sunday Nation with the title “Kimaiyo should be sent to Ethiopia to learn how to keep Kenyans safe” was written in bad faith and cannot go unchallenged.

The columnist, Murithi Mutiga, got it all wrong when he claimed that police are not doing enough to protect Kenyans.

What the writer needs to understand is that security matters are enshrined in the constitution and all arms of government, and even the public are involved in maintaining law and order.

In any case, police have done their best in ensuring Kenyans are safe, bearing in mind the challenges they face in the course of duty.

The IG is not a roadblock to security since wananchi, including Mr Mutiga, are always in a better position to know those participating in criminal activities and they bear the highest responsibility in sharing the information.

All Kenyans should participate in maintaining law and order and that should not be the preserve of the police.

But for the writer to claim that anyone who walks around Nairobi and other major cities will know that this is a country still stuck in “island of peace” mentality shows that he is out of touch with the reality of security issues in the country.

Armed security officers are always in strategic positions in major malls and hotels to strengthen the security provided by unarmed security guards.

Just because one who visits the malls does not see the officers does not mean they are not there.

But again it should be clear that security officers will not be in every corner of this country.

This is why it is important that the public play a greater role by providing information to police on people they suspect to be involved in lawlessness for the necessary action to be taken against them.

For the writer to say Mr Kimaiyo should be dispatched to Ethiopia to learn a lesson or two why that country has not suffered a single terror attack despite sharing a large border with Somalia shows that the writer does not appreciate the work of the police.

Officers have sacrificed and put their lives at risk for the sake of peace in our country and there is a need to appreciate what they do instead of criticising them.

Kenya has its own security challenges and it is unfair for the writer to compare this country with another without considering the geographical situation of such nations.

Again for the writer to claim that the General Service Unit (GSU) officers are only found keeping watch at the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation, watching out to prevent announcement of a coup which will never come, is mere mockery.

The writer should know that GSU, Regular Police and Administration Police among other police officers are deployed in key installations to help reduce the threat of terror and the writer should familiarise himself with what is happening instead of writing something just for the sake of it.

The writer should know that this country has its own ways of dealing with issues of security and is not a one-man show.

Although the writer is entitled to his opinion, he should also be made to understand that he has an obligation to write articles which can help in the war against terrorism since security matters are not the preserve of the police.

As I stated in the recent past, the ongoing crackdown against criminals across the country is not targeting any particular community or religious group but bad elements among us.

Mr Mutiga should be honest in whatever he writes and appreciate as well as criticise constructively the work of police if we are to win the war against terrorism among other criminal activities.

He is therefore welcome to join us in the war against insecurity.

Mr Kimaiyo is the Inspector-General, National Police Service