We all need to cooperate to enhance security

A police officer at a crime scene outside the Royal Court Hotel in Mombasa on October 10, 2014. PHOTO | KEVIN ODIT |  NATION MEDIA GROUP

In Summary

• What can we do to enhance security in our country?
• President Uhuru Kenyatta has emphasised that security cannot be left to the government alone.

By JACOB CHEGE
More by this Author

By PAMELA INOTI
More by this Author

Insecurity is one of most serious problems currently facing the country. It is a global phenomenon that poses a grave challenge to development.

The Al-Shabaab attacks have not only slowed down economic activities but also mirror the cultural and religious differences in society.

There are also increasing cases of resource-related inter-clan conflicts in semi-arid areas and robberies and assaults in urban centres.

Both terrorism attacks and local crime add to production costs due to extra spending on security and are a disincentive to investment.

Kenya must, therefore, deal with insecurity now if it wants to remain on its set development path and safeguard its sovereignty.

While the National Police Service has acknowledged that it should do more to reduce insecurity, it has noted that it is constrained by staff shortages, inadequate equipment, and poor remuneration.

The Independent Policing Oversight Authority observed in its report following the Mpeketoni attacks that the National Police Service is politicised and commercialised. There is poor coordination in its ranks and corruption is pervasive.

PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY

What can we do to enhance security in our country? President Uhuru Kenyatta has emphasised that security cannot be left to the government alone, but that it is a personal responsibility for everyone.

So, how do we, as citizens operationalise this? One way is that all adult citizens should avoid falling victim to crime by, for example, keeping away from crowded places, limiting unnecessary night travel, installing security equipment in business and residential buildings, joining neighbourhood security associations, reporting to the authorities any suspicious persons or events, and upscaling personal values.

As a country, we can explore ways to leverage on the existing private security firms to enhance safety. Some 2,000 private security firms with about 400,000 security guards operate in Kenya. This is five times the number of policemen and women that Kenya has — about 80,000.

These private firms respond to the need for customised security services such as securing buildings and protecting individuals, which regular police are not mandated to do. Private security firms are also frontline actors in counter-terrorism as they check entrants into private and public buildings.

These vital roles suggest that security can be enhanced by ensuring that private security firms and the National Police Service work together.

For instance, private security firms have a wide range of technology such as tracking devices and rapid response vehicles that can be incorporated to complement State policing. There is a need for more crime-related information-sharing and back-up response systems between private security firms and the police.

For this to work, there should be a coordination framework to guide their operations and responses. A legal framework to guide the coordination of the private security sector and public police should be created to facilitate this cooperation.

Politics and obstacles of regulation should not be allowed to overshadow the potential benefits of integrating private security firms in ensuring national security.

Dr Chege is a senior policy analyst at the Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis. Ms Inoti is a young professional at the same institution. (paminoti@gmail.com)

advertisement