Kenyans woke up on Thursday morning with news of another attack
on our soil, any obvious guess was right, Alshabab!! And yes they claimed to be responsible. As the day continued, the number of the Garissa University
students killed increased to 147 with other over 79 seriously wounded, the innocent
young ladies and gentlemen's life chapter was suddenly closed yesterday.
Thinking through this, I find questions I can’t answer just
like most of Kenyans. Imagine how the news will get to the beloved brothers,
sisters, mothers, fathers, relatives of the students innocently killed while
waking up to go for morning preps or prayers. Unimaginable grief that they will
have to endure, the reality that will dawn on them that their dream &
investment for a better tomorrow will not be realized after their son or
daughter was killed. It is indeed very sad.
Now let’s map this unfortunate event as saddening as it is, after
coast attack we were attacked in Nairobi, and in the West gate attack after we
lost many lives and condemned the attack with harsh terms possible, our hope
& imagination that it was the end was incorrect at least with the recent Garissa
university attack that just happened yesterday. Looking at the trend, it means that
next possible attack (God forbid) if you are lucky not to the victim, it will
be to you loved ones. I mean your wife, mother, father, brother, sister, daughter,
son, close friend, visitors or relatives, Its that serious, What can I do
before it gets there?
I have taken time to think what exactly I can do about the
insecurity in my country, without pointing blames to the government I believe
there is something I can do about all this. ‘’Nyumba Kumi initiative’’ was a well thought
of policy. If implemented in practice for instance in countries like Ethiopia
and Rwanda where a hotel receptionist, cleaner, taxi driver, shopkeeper will smile
and unconsciously ask you (Where are you from? what are you coming to do? how
long will you stay? and share these information to a field security operative
manning the street with about only 50 people. How about we stop politicizing
the idea, adopt the thought of individual accountability of each of our
neighbors in trying to ensure we collect the information and share with
authority? We can make this a culture and save our loved ones by pointing out
on suspected Alshababs and their sympathizers who have penetrated into our
society causing deaths.
Could this be the BEST support we can give to our government
to help wipe out terrorism; I believe if we know people who are next to us by
answering simple but crucial questions like (Who are they?, What do they do?,
Where are they from?, Why are they where they are?, What are they up to?, What
do they believe in? Where do they go? What are they carrying?
Can both the Government and Opposition leaders stand up,
join hands and rally all Kenyans to an agreement. An agreement that will commit
our beloved government to avail platform for us to share the above information
as often as possible and each Kenyan to be responsible to share any suspicious
person, act or any unusual act.
This should see us not blame ourselves or our government but
motivate each one of us to strongly support whoever is or will be our president
to seriously and fully take the duty of ensuring security of Kenyans all over
the country is guaranteed.
May the souls of our departed brothers and sister rest in peace.
God protect Kenya,
