Bashir-Haji-Abdullaih applauded President Uhuru Kenyatta for changes in the Immigration Department/MUTHONI NJUKI
He says external threats like terrorism have become internal threats because of corruption at the borders and Immigration Department.
Speaking during a public debate on Kenya’s struggle for justice and security, he however applauded President Uhuru Kenyatta for changes in the Immigration Department.
“There are number of issues at hand. When we talk about external threats becoming internal threats we mean that the external group is using internal elements to carry out these attacks or the same group has sneaked into the country,” he stated.
“If you look at the group coming in to carry out the attacks, the issue of manning, surveillance and control of our borders is very weak. There is corruption in our borders that allows people to sneak in. Some of the elements could be causing this kind of damage.”
On Wednesday, Major-General (Rtd) Gordon Kihalangwa replaced Jane Waikenda as the Director of Immigration.
The retired Major-General is said to have a, “wealth of experience in both security services and people management,” having served and risen up the ranks of the Kenya Defence Forces.
His appointment is set to “greatly strengthen the nation’s policing and control of its boarders as well as internal security.”
Terming the move as great, Abdullaih said this will help streamline the sector which has largely been blamed of playing a huge role in causing insecurity in the country through illegal issuance of identification documents.
“Traditionally, the military is supposed to protect our borders or protect us from external threats, but that threat is now within, how do we involve the military to deal with this?” he posed.
“For your information, that kind of deployment or the military being told now deal with this has repercussion.”
He pointed out that, “If you look at the immigration now, it has issue of border control. When we have new faces in that kind of department, you will just say something is being done in our security sector.”
To fight corruption, he advises that institutions fighting the menace must be strengthened since, “you can change the people, how about the institutions.”
Another cause of the spiralling insecurity, in the country according to Abdullaih is high unemployment among the youths which results to poverty and radicalisation.
“Youths who are radicalised are the one being used to cause these kinds of attacks,” he said.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxadqmPtRCw&feature=youtu.be
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