Kenyan Porous Boarders likely to court More Insecurity

Shadrack Mbaka

Kenyan Porous Boarders likely to court More Insecurity

 Insecurity cases being witnessed in the country for the past few years desires quick action, there is little doubt that our borders are somehow porous and this makes Kenya a vulnerable prey for neighboring militia groups and even terrorists. 

The death of the Al-Qaeda leader, Osama Bin Laden, came as a sigh of relief to many people across the world thanks to the US navy seals and the Obama administration.It is all interesting to note that the US was securing its boarders, that prompted them to go for Osama Bin Laden, miles away from their territory.

Kenyan boarders remain porous and the government remains reluctant to secure its boarders. It is unfortunate that the government would just watch as the Merrile and Topasa Militia groups from neighboring countries would enter into Kenya on free will kill,maim and steal livestock and walk out through our boarder points that are said to be under a 24-hour surveillance.

I believe in the spirit of the East African Community and the close diplomatic ties connecting the five countries, but it is ammusing at the way President Kibaki would declare on  Madaraka that the islands of Migingo and Ugingo belong to KENYA only  for Uganda to send their police to the islands a few days later,What would you call this? Bullying?

Many questions have been raised about how Al-Qaeda managed to launch their attacks in Kenya and then disappeared without a trace.This begs the question, how could there be an Al-Qaeda recruiter serving in the Kenyan army fail to be noticed by our security forces with all the intelligence resources at their disposal?

Security Lapse?

In another incident, the Al-shabab militia raided Mandera, North East of Kenya, a long Kenya-Somali border, and abducted a government officer and two missionary nuns.

The above incidents and others, like the grenade attacks on Uhuru Park Nairobi last year, the numerous narcotic consignments being impounded far away from the border, and the firearms impounded in Narok town near Kenya-Tanzania border, are a clear indication of porous borders that makes Kenya an easy target for terrorists.

Is there a security lapse along the borders of Kenya? And are we safe?

Insecurity has gigantically negative implications on both the country’s political and economical fronts.

In a bid to make the country and the citizens secure, the government may do well to consider reinforcing the security at key entry points and also use modern technology in detecting firearms, illegal immigrants and narcotics. But as far as I am concerned we are not out of the woods yet on matters of national security.