Africa Focus: Kenya devices strategies to counter security challenges

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday said his government has implemented a raft of strategies to help tackle security challenges which he said have improved security.

Kenyatta said his government has set up an inter-agency coordination unit, enhanced security vigilance and increased community sensitization to help counter terrorism.

"We have created a single command structure in counties that has improved command and control. We have also gone a long way to improving our investigative capacity by establishing a Forensic Lab which will be equipped in the coming financial year," Kenyatta said when he delivered the State of the Nation Address in parliament.

He decried global terrorism, as manifested in the threat of Al- Shabaab, who continues to operate largely from neighboring Somalia.

He said the Kenya Defense Forces, within the ambit of the African Union Mission in Somalia, continue to dismantle the capability of the insurgents blamed for increased terror attacks in the country.

"However, this terrorist group still poses a significant threat to Kenya, especially in light of the long porous border with Somalia," he said.

Kenyatta admitted that Kenya was still faced with a sharp growth of radicalization and violent extremism and threats associated with youth that have returned from Somalia.

"Other international crimes that threaten us include poaching, human trafficking, drug and narcotic trafficking, and cyber crime, " he said.

The East African nation continues to suffer several attacks as terrorists change tuck to beat heightened security and carry on with their heinous acts undetected.

In the recent past, there have been numerous attacks involving shootings, grenades, or other explosive devices in Kenya.

Most of these attacks occurred in northeastern Kenya, mainly in Dadaab, Wajir, Garissa, and Mandera counties. Several attacks also occurred along the Kenyan coast.

"In addition to these international crimes, most of which feed into the funding and resourcing of terrorism and its agents, we are also faced with the challenge of ethnic and inter-communal conflicts, sexual and gender based violence, contraband and smuggling of goods," Kenyatta said.

He said the new security law and the adoption of a national counter radicalization strategy, have transformed the legal and policy landscape.

"We now have a robust and far-reaching legal framework to counter the current threats relating to terrorism. This will go a long way in safeguarding the lives and property of Kenyans and our visitors," Kenyatta said.

He said these efforts have led to an increased tempo in operations as security officers are now detecting, disrupting and preventing attacks on the people and territory.

According to Kenyatta, while Kenya has had a decline in traffic related crimes, there is need for focused attention to reduce road carnage, and the threats associated with the proliferation of small arms and light weapons.

The Kenyan leader said his government will continue to provide resources for the modernization of the security agencies.

This year, he said, the government increased the police operational fleet by 1200 vehicles, bringing about a total of 2, 400 vehicles made available in the last two years - more than has been provided since independence.

"The improvement in our Immigration Department is self-evident. The management of our entry and exit, which have been vulnerable, is improving steadily. In the next fortnight, Kenyans will be enabled to apply for their passports on-line, and visitors will make on-line visa applications," he added.

Kenyatta said the appointment of new leadership in key strategic and operational positions in a number of security organs offers an opportunity to inject new ideas and drive that are much needed for the capacity and morale of our personnel.

He said it is imperative that the synergy and improving performance emerging from the security sector be sustained. Endi