Kenyans reaction to the the
Garissa attack was a little unusual. Beyond the pain, the anger and the
disbelief, there was a sense of open defiance and also resignation.
Perhaps Kenyans had finally woken
up to the reality that terrorism has always plagued this nation right from Jomo
Kenyatta’s presidency to the present day regime. Of course, there are variances
between the attacks of 40 years ago and the current offensives including: the
frequency, masterminds of the attacks and grounds for the attacks. Until half a decade ago, the country was a
target for its perceived close loyalty to the West and Israel. Back in 1980, at
least 20 people were killed in a bombing the ripped through Norfolk Hotel. The
attack was largely blamed on Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) which later denied
responsibility.
The alleged motive for attacks
has now changed. Our perceived loyalty to the West has cleared thawed in the
last decade. So the enemy has adopted a new spin to massacre innocent
people-the presence of Kenya’s troops in Somalia. You will recall Al Shabaab
was attacking Kenya even before the country sent boots on the ground.
The government’s best efforts may
not necessarily shield us from further terrorist attacks. Many have argued that
weak government structures which fuel corruption and lead to inadequate intelligence
gathering and poor surveillance are some of the reasons Kenya is often a
target. While some of these weaknesses could be contributing factors that are
affecting the country’s resolve to fight terror, the threat we face cannot be
oversimplified. Al Shabaab is no longer a rag tag militia group creating havoc in
South Central Somalia and occasional hit and runs attacks on Kenya. The group has
now evolved into a homegrown insurgency that is deeply embedded in communities
within us (and beyond) and is well funded. Kenya’s geography and demography has
also created a perfect breeding ground for the group.
If we are brave enough to look at
the situation from a broader context-devoid of emotions and blame games- we
will recognize that insurgent groups (as witnessed in other parts of the world)
are always protracted and never lack in tenacity. Nigeria is still reeling from
the murderous Boko Haram insurgency, England suffered over three decades of
bombings under the IRA, Russia is still battling with terrorism decades later,
India has had its fair share of bombings just to name a few stable and well
respected countries. Not to forget the worst terrorist attack in modern history
where over 3,000 people lost their lives in United States (arguably one of the
most surveilled states in the world) just over a decade ago. As long as we have
terror groups, as long as young people continue to be radicalized, Kenya and
the free world will always be a threat.
This is not to absolve the government of
Uhuruto from blame and responsibility. The populace expects absolute security
and nothing less-rightly so. Once you
are sworn in as the head of State, hard questions will be asked, expectations
will be high or even unrealistic. It’s just the way the cookie crumbles.
