{UAH} Pojim/WBK: Standard Digital News - Kenya : Raila's whipping could be wake-up call

http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/?articleID=2000136891&story_title=raila-s-whipping-could-be-wake-up-call#disqus_thread

Standard Digital News - Kenya : Raila's whipping could be wake-up call

To be forewarned, they say, is to be forearmed.

There is also the saying that there is always a good side to every tragedy. And if you think your situation is bad, always remember it could have been worse.

When Coalition for Reforms and Democracy leader Raila Odinga was whipped by Lengo Karissa Mdzomba in Kinango, Kwale County, on Monday, while dancing far away from his security team or even bouncers, my mind went back in time.

You see, over a decade ago as a young reporter, a sensational story broke and an excited News Editor, seeing a potential splash on a dull day, assigned me to chase it.

The 'story' as I was briefed was that despite being sacked as minister, Kipkalya Kones still had Government security.

The tip-off came from the side of the political divide in Rift Valley politics to which his successor in Cabinet and bitter rival in Kipsigis politics, John Arap Koech, belonged.

I was thrilled by the story. In an hour I caught up with the ever-smiling Mr Kones at CMC Motors along Nairobi's Bunyala Road where he had taken his Land Rover Discovery for servicing.

When I asked him if it was true he still enjoyed State security, he shrugged and retorted: "Yes, but what is the big deal?"

In five minutes I had learned my lesson on State and National Security. "You forget I was a Minister for Internal Security and in the course of my work I came across many State secrets and so it is in the interest of the Government to ensure I am safe,'' said a smiling Mr Kones.

He added: "Please go and pose the same question to Mwai Kibaki and Dalmas Otieno (then in Opposition). They left Cabinet but retained their security.''

Later in the week I got to talk to a senior intelligence officer and when I shared with him the question, he laughed and said that indeed that was the case, and pointed out another Opposition leader who had complained that he was being stalked by State security operatives.

"He is very vocal against the regime and if the enemies of State want to foment a crisis, they can just have him shot and then like in all past assassinations, the fingers of culpability would point at the top guys in Government."

He argued that it was not true that all they did was follow them so as to report to the President who the Opposition leaders met and what was on their minds. It turned out that very often, we look at national security in very narrow terms.

No doubt the pervasive powers of intelligence have largely been abused and very often used to harass, intimidate and violate the privacy of those deemed to be anti-government.

During the tenure of the querulous Grand Coalition under President Kibaki and Mr Odinga, I recall writing in this space that no matter what the former President and his team think of the son of Jaramogi, it was in their own interest to ensure that he was safe.

Why? Because if anything like what happened to JM Kariuki, Tom Mboya, George Morara, Arwings Kodhek and Robert Ouko, befell him, Kenya would go aflame and in our usual speculative minds, we would all say that we know the big man behind the elimination.

Of course, there have been hard-to-believe cases where politicians, including Mr Odinga and his Cord co-principal Moses Wetang'ula, have claimed their lives were in danger.

That someone was after them, and then later their cars have been sprayed with bullets. Curiously, the bullets have had a way of shattering the windshield but missing the target.

But my argument regarding our VIPs is that whereas they ride on armoured vehicles, particularly the bullet-proof types and ensure the windows are heavily tinted so that you do not recognise them in traffic, once they step out to join a political rally, the guard is lost.

They weave around crowds, some even squeeze their way between youths who literally are too close, but luckily the most they have done is pinch their pockets for cash and phones and other goodies.

When the traditional dancers come along, the politicians drop the guard once again and walk to join the jig. But what happened to Mr Odinga should serve as a wake-up call to him and other politicians who put their lives on the line in pursuit of populist images on television and newspapers, casting them as down-to-earth.

We should all remember that this last week alone the head of security of the most powerful man in the World, Barack Obama, resigned for two reasons; first, a phoney character sneaked into the White House and walked around with a knife.

Secondly, the big man rode in a lift with a character with a criminal record armed with a gun. Luckily, the man only took pictures of Obama using his cellphone.

The point we are making is that our leaders need to take their security more seriously, far beyond the bouncers who are probably endowed with brawn and not brains.

They think security is to wear dark glasses and push those seeking handouts with their muscular hands. Have we forgottenAl-Shabaab likes going for the bigger prize to dramatise the sense of loss and devastation?

President Kenyatta at least got himself an armoured car which rivals the Pope's, but in public you still see that carefree attitude in the name of common touch. For Mr Odinga it is worse, he takes it so casually.

That is why probably God sent MrMdzomba to drive the message home with a bakora and probably reawaken Kenyans to the times they are living in.

Standard Digital News - Kenya : Raila's whipping could be wake-up call

http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/?articleID=2000136891&story_title=raila-s-whipping-could-be-wake-up-call#disqus_thread

Sent from my BlackBerry 10 smartphone.