Breaking News: At least 10 feared to have drowned in Makueni river
Military taking over police work, warns report
What you need to know:
- In the past one year, the military established a third internal command and deployment of armed forces personnel to contain internal security crises increased, according to the report.
- In 2007, the military was deployed to flush out members of the Sabaot land Defence Force in Mount Elgon, Bungoma County, after police failed to end a conflict that had been triggered by a dispute over land allocation.
Deployment of the military to combat internal security challenges will increase if the police service is not reformed in line with new realities, a report says.
The report released by Think Security Africa (TSA) this month raises concern about the pace of security reforms in Kenya.
It recommends a new organisational structure to help speed up the changes. It further wants “motivational challenges that underlie policing problems in Kenya” to be tackled.
“Policing is not just another job and it is therefore important to attract and retain people that understand this,” it says.
THIRD INTERNAL COMMAND
In the past one year, the military established a third internal command and deployment of armed forces personnel to contain internal security crises increased, according to the report.
The TSA is an independent think tank specialising in security in Africa. Since establishment in 2009, it has become a leader in forecasting security-related trends in the continent, with the aim of preserving lives.
Kenya Defence Forces soldiers have been combing parts of the coast region for militants who attacked several villages in Lamu and Tana River and killed about 100 people.
In 2007, the military was deployed to flush out members of the Sabaot land Defence Force in Mount Elgon, Bungoma County, after police failed to end a conflict that had been triggered by a dispute over land allocation.
“This is due to the acknowledgement of the ability of local and transnational security threats to negatively impact various aspects of life in Kenya.
“Security issues in Somalia and between Kenya and Somalia post the most serious threat to territorial integrity in Kenya,” says the report.
The organisation acknowledges that internal cross-border conflicts, such as the one between Moyale and Mandera, and cattle rustling, mostly involving the Merille of Ethiopia, pose a big challenge to internal security agencies.
The report cites December last year when the government authorised deployment of the military to Marsabit County to stop inter-communal violence that had sucked in the Oromo Liberation Front, an Ethiopian militia. Disputes over land and competition for resources are among causes of the conflicts.
