My sincere apologies to all foreigners residing in Kenya either legally or illegally who are going through a terrible time of anxiety just now. I have lived in many foreign countries myself and I know exactly what you are feeling.
But please allow me to lay bare the bleak situation facing the country you have chosen to be your home either temporarily or permanently. A country that you would not have wanted to live in if it was not peaceful and secure for you to bring up your children in.
The truth is that Kenya will never be the same again. If you read my predictions for this year you will know that I predicted a successful strike by the Al-Shabab in Kenya. And if you have been following the news then you will know that so far this year there have already been at least two attempts to blow up something (and we are still in January).
But the questions that we should all be asking ourselves now is how did we get to where we are now?
Our intelligence people have known for years now that hundreds of Somali nationals stream into the country daily. Yes, DAILY. Kenyans have seen these foreigners arrive to start businesses in major towns in the country. Even without reading the numerous warnings that have been penned here in Kumekucha since 2005, we all watched Eastleigh change dramatically and start to grow at breakneck speed and we all knew that the people driving these changes were NOT local Somalis. One sure sign was their inability to speak or understand either English or Kiswahili.
Let me cut the long story short and say that we all knew a lot of stuff. And yet nothing was done.
Why?
I have no idea. But there are a few pointers that would need further investigation.
One is especially disturbing, at least to me. I strongly suspect that the government decided that the economic benefit of the illegal Somali immigrants was much greater than the immediate danger posed. If this is true then I can only shake my head in disgust and say that that was a very big mistake that Kenyans shall long live to regret and suffer. I have had the privilege of traveling to many hardship areas of our country. Courtesy of being the son of a policeman who got posted all over the place and always moved with his family. I have known Somalis for many years and I see ignorance in the minds of many Kenyans especially where they underestimate the capabilities of these people. I feel really sorry for all those “well educated” Kenyans who are sure that because they look stupid and slow in terms of mental capability then they are exactly that. Others believe that anybody who cannot speak English is surely not intelligent.
Well, did you know that in the infamous Jamia riots of last week, the CCTV (Close circuit security TV cameras) that cover most of the CBD were disabled by somebody who knew exactly what to steal at the National Archives area. And whoever it was knew exactly what they were doing because whatever they removed disabled the entire system. What that meant was that not only did looters have a field day but security personnel hardly have any footage to study so as to understand just how well co-ordinated the chaos at the Jamia incident were. Interestingly stones carefully targeted any journalist seen to be carrying cameras. And so it was easy for some of the protestors to carry firearms and use them.
Yep, just keep on underestimating Somalis at your own peril. These are the guys who made short work of the dreaded American Marines and the Navy seals as well in Somalia during the Clinton administration.
I appreciate the fact that shortly after my post last week, Internal Security minister George Saitoti moved with speed and did what should have been done 15 years ago. However I dare add that it is way too late.
Somali nationals have infiltrated into Kenya and most of them have Kenyan identity cards (meaning that they can get voters cards and strongly influence our politics as they have done in Kamukunji constituency, just ask former MP Norman Nyagah). Somalis also have lots of cash. It would not be impossible for them to field a presidential candidate in the next general elections and using their numbers (estimated at over 2 million together with local Somalis) and their cash, they have a fighting chance of getting their man into State House and changing Kenya into another Iran before your very eyes.
Folks, now is the time to bury all our political differences and to give full support to Internal security Minister George Saitoti in the imposible task he has ahead of him. We desperately need to deal with the immediate danger otherwise we may not have a country left to squabble over amongst ourselves.
I believe that this is the final warning you will see in this blog concerning this extremely serious threat. I have already been branded a Somali-hater by some of my valued readers here and therefore I will now fall back to my usual tactic of remaining silent even as stuff unfolds. Or perhaps discuss the weather and other things. What more can I do now?
God help Kenya.
See previous article; Do those making decisions know enough about Somalis?
Chris, this is really sickening - to know that we are in a country that has porous security! I keep asking myself whether Kenya will ever be its former better self. Sijui!!
ReplyDeleteSon of a "corrupt" police officer coming here to lecture us about law and order? wonders of this world never cease to amaze me!!
ReplyDeletePhil's Mistress
my friend Chris, please relax
ReplyDeleteWe have a new constitution now, what could possibly go wrong?
enjoy the weekend my brother
PS:-Deroo, HNY
This kind of hate and talk are what causes ethnic cleasing all over the world. You sound like Hitler who could not help his recentment and jealousy of the enterprings Jews. Nobody has ever succeeded preaching hate. As your friend mwarangethe said read the papers don't believe it. Using fear to cause havoc never fails
ReplyDeleteI pity u
Chris, can you tell me the two attacks that happened in January. I have being fairly following the News back home though have being busy with exams of late but always had a few mins to check The Standard almost daily. So can you tell me those 2 attacks by Al-Shabab that occurred in January?
ReplyDeleteAs for your fear of Somalis. I say this. We are part and parcel of this country and have always being. Sorry Chris but you are no more Kenyan than me and you never will be. And yes, I have every right to stand for and be elected as a president of this country as you do. That is just the fact. Dream on if you think just because you are a Christian or something, you are more Kenyan than me. Kenya is Kenya, not because of you, but because of over 40 communities.
why not aim towards a peaceful economic vibrantEast African community (like Europe): Kenya Uganda Tanzania Rwanda Burundi Somalis etc
ReplyDeleteIt is very well for Kenyans, if they so wish, to worship the god of hate or bow their heads at the altar of retaliation.
ReplyDeleteHowever, we must remember that, history is cluttered with wreckages of nations that pursued this self - defeating path of hate.
As some cheer Saitoti and others in humiliating and discriminating against Somalis for what we believe are purely economic reasons, let us bear this in mind:
Nothing is as dangerous as possession of power without compassion, might without morality and strength without sight.
Finally, let those who cheer this insanity in the name of "national security," which is nothing but business interests of the few which must be protected via the state, remember these words of Lowell:
Once to every man and nation comes a moment to decide,
In the strife of Truth and Falsehood, for the good or evil side;
Some great cause, God's new Messiah offering each the bloom or blight,
And the choice goes by forever 'twixt that darkness and that light.
Though the cause of evil prosper, yet 'tis truth alone is strong
Though her portions be the scaffold, and upon the throne be wrong
Yet that scaffold sways the future, and behind the dim unknown
Standeth God within the shadow, keeping watch above his own.
Chris,
ReplyDeleteLet's debate this topic at hand soberly like civilised people.
Yes, we all know Somali is a failed state. But make no mistake, Somali is not an imperialist country - neither do they invade or occupy other lands, and they are not trying to expand in anyway. So I cannot see this notion you are trying to paint here about Somalis and Al-Shababs attacking Kenya.
You have to agree with me we African/Kenyan people we are our own worst enemies. We hate to see advancement even amongst ourselves as Kenyans.
We Kenyans, we are jealous lot! We hate anyone who is better than "us" and that's the plain truth. You've said there u have lived in other countries, well then, you may have felt the mutual suspicion and objections and the intense resentment of Kenyans at home (in Kenya) towards those in Diaspora. They imagine those abroad to be arrogant and proud and are always looking for ways to make fun of the kind of jobs they do.
And here we are shouting Somalis (illegal aliens) must go. Ati they are taking over our country. Bollocks!
Personally, I don't know what you mean by "foreigners are taking over"? Does it mean that Somalis have a quicker and better understanding of systems - on how to stretch and bend rules to suit their conditions in Kenya?
Does it mean that Somalis, by virtue of their entrepreneurship get acculturated better and faster than we Kenyans?
What's their problem, Chris?
Yours,
Phil's mistress.
Mungiki followers give grand sendoff to fallen quartet....
ReplyDeleteI HAVE MENTIONED AND WILL CONTINUE SAYING THAT MOST KIKUYU VOTES WILL BE TAKEN BY THIS GUY AND HIS PARTY WILL SWEEP MOST OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN COME THE NEXT ELECTIONS. THOSE THAT DON'T VOTE MUNGIKI CANDIDATES WATAONA CHA MTEMA KUNI. GOOD COZ MOST OF THEM ARE .....BY DAY AND MUNGIKI BY NIGHT. IMAGINE A THIRD OF PARLIAMENTARIANS SUBSCRIBING TO THE MUNGIKI SECT?@#$%!!!!
This is exactly why I hate the Kikuyu. Its 100% the fault of the Kikuyus because of their infinite selfishness "nyumba", vote theft, general corruption etc, that Kenya has a completely incompetent leadership. I urge all self respecting Kenyans to never forgive kikuyus for voting for Kibaki. What a useless person!
ReplyDeleteNyinyi nywele ngumu ni bure kabisa.
ReplyDeleteSomalis own all of eastleigh and almost half of nairobi already as it is.
Another hateful post. If you and Saitoti and others in the government are seeking money from the west, that's OK, we understand. But please dont use the smokescreen of somali's and security. It is weak.
ReplyDeleteSomalis here in Kenya are delightfully enterprising--they would be the last to want to see the fruits of their sweat and blood go up in smoke. Indeed we all need lessons from them on how they manage and transfer finances through their networks of trust and reciprocity, very much indipendent of "thee" government.
If Somalis are so bad, why now? Why the timing of this ethnic profiling? Al Shaabab has been around in Somalia for a while, their development achievements in Somalia were steady and significant--until they were branded.
It would help non-Somali Kenyans think very carefully whose war they fight and to what gain, both short and long term.
This is a case where the elites fro a certain community now wnat to grab the property of Kenyan Somalis.
ReplyDeleteThey marginalised other communities and are now picking on the somalis.
Washindwe. Fair minded communities should voice their support for our fellow somali brothers and sisters! And yes Kenya is more or less doomed.
Think Mwarang'ethe should broaden his theory of wealth creation from land and banks to issues like transfer of technology, innovation and responsible management of national resources. For example, Japan, the world's second largest economy, comprises of small islands in the Asia Pacific, with no land based resources in terms of fertile lands, forests, oil, steel, etc. In addition, having grown up in the former 'white highlands' of Kenya, I know of some illiterate men who acquired lands between 50 and 100 acres but were unable to turn the huge fertile tracks into exploitable resources, and could not afford life basic necessities at the time of their demise.
ReplyDeleteclearly an article that should be condemned by all; Chris you should be ashamed of yourself for blaming "the bloody immigrants"...shame on you
ReplyDeleteForget the Somalis, they are not a problem for now. The problem is the Jaluos lording over others in ODM. ODM is fast becoming a fish party with Miguna Miguna calling non-Luo members ugly names. And the bossiness of these people has become legendary. God forbid if Raila were to ascend into the presidency.
ReplyDeleteThe security swoops going on in the country are targetting foreigners who are illegally living in Kenya. If the majority of these illegals (most of whom are criminal elements) happen to be Somalis, so be it. Kenyans (including Somali Kenyans) have no appologies to make for kicking our these aliens, many of which are terror sympathizers. It is time for Kenyans to unite and take back their country. When I remember how Nairobi was bombened in 1998, I feel like going out and joining the police in ejecting the unwelcome guests. KENYA IS FOR KENYANS, PERIOD.
ReplyDeleteThe great US economy has been built by immigrants. Many other great economies were built by immigrants. The profiling of Somalis is rather lame. When it comes to crime they have the lowest crime rate in the country, actually they are mostly the victims. The economic benefit to the treasury of eastliegh is very high. It has became the Dubai of east and central Africa.
ReplyDeleteThe people you should be targeting are those who steal from the public using impunity. This are the ones destroying Kenya. So please don't divite us from the real issues. I wonder who your paymaster is
Kenya should be like south Africa who would not Be influenced by the west but by it's own interest. If Africa would act African interest rather than western interest we would be great nation.
The article was timely and let's call a spade spade.w
ReplyDeleteWell and good I would like to acknowledge the enterpreniur skills of the somali community in kenya. That is nice of them. We appreciate it. However it should be noted that Somali as a country is a failed state. Being a failed state n there are high chances of some of them infiltrating kenya illegally. I dare any sympathiser to come out here and deny that MANY SOMALIS from somali operating in kenya have acquired kenya I'd and even passport through illegal means being assited by kenyans. Whatever the means they got these papers, is illegal. One may argue that it is kenyans who are corrupt. That true, but it still remains that the alliens acquire papers illegally.
For the security of any country to keep up security operations is normal, and kenya is not an exception. We must try by all means necessary to distinguish between the good and bad.
Chris,
ReplyDeleteGenerally, Kenyans hold certain stereotypes about every other tribe or group of persons in the country. It follows that Somalis cannot escape this sort of characterisation. We will always describe Kikuyus as this, Kambas as that, Luhyas as this, Somalis as that, etc. It is part of us, being Kenyan.
I am not saying that some of these characterisations do not hold water. Just like you, i have interacted with Somalis for over a while, in school and socially. What i know is that, just like any other tribe, Somalis will always socialise with and defend their own, whether from Kenya or Somalia. It is also impossible to differentiate between a Kenya Somali and a Somali Somali. Even amongst themselves, there are very strong bonds within the same clan and intense rivalries (business, territorial, etc) with other clans. These rivalries is what has caused mayhem in Somalia, as each clan deems itself superior to the other and therefore cannot be 'ruled' by the other.
The other thing is that Somalis do not consider themselves Africans. Actually, they identify themselves as more 'middle-eastern' than African. They also generally look down on any 'nywele ngumu' (see a comment by one of them above), as they consider themselves superior to other Africans. In school, they used a very derogatory word when referring to a 'nywele ngumu'.
But one thing i admire about them is their ability to socialise across class differences. You can find a very rich Somali dining with a very poor fellow, on the same plate of 'ajera' and pilau, while sipping some sour milk commonly known as 'gurur' from the same gourd!.
Now, with the stereotypes aside, the events of the past week have merely been addressing the symptoms, rather than the disease. The real questions are not being asked. What is the cause of the influx of illegal aliens in the country? How is it possible that Al-Faisal entered the country unnoticed and stayed for almost one month before being 'discovered'. What other illegals are we brushing shoulders with every time we walk on a Nairobi street?
We cannot confine our problems to immigration issues only. We know that every body part of Kenya is sick. Nothing seems to be working. We have systems in place but those in charge are incompetent and corrupt. You can actually do anything in Kenya and get away with it. There is impunity all over the place. And those in authority pretend to be reacting when things are out of hand, rather than being proactive. This is what defines our ethic as a country. As long as no one is willing to follow the law, even the 'new' constitution will not begin to solve our problems.
So, when it comes to Kenya somalis, why do we want them to be more patriotic than every other Kenyan? Why can't they assist their brothers any way they can, including obtaining id cards and other travel documents and residence, etc for them? And so long as money is changing hands, what makes you think the Kambas, Kikuyus, Luhyas, etc are not involved in this 'business'?.
Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteThink Mwarang'ethe should broaden his theory of wealth creation from land and banks to issues like transfer of technology, innovation and responsible management of national resources.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Do not worry. Mwarang'ethe is in the course of drafting a 2017 Manifesto.
In this Manifesto, we shall deal with many issues like:
- role of knowledge in an economy,
- production oriented as opposed to monetaristic oriented economy,
- entrepreneurship and wealth creation,
- land reforms,
- tax reforms and wealth creation,
- legal reforms and wealth creation,
- banking reforms and wealth creation,
- the question of free trade,
- question of debt.
However, since this is a one man think tank and financed project, it will take a long time to finish. But, by the Grace of God, it shall be done.
Jeff
ReplyDeletewell spoken. How do you define a failed state? Do we have a working judiciary? Or a competent internal security apparatus? If you study closely you will find that Kenya is actually a failed state.
The handling of the events leading to the PEV and after point to the denial we are living in. No country which has a working legal system would protect these thugs but failed state. In essence we are not better off than Somalia
the biggest threat to kenyas internal security is actaully kenyans themselves and has ever been the illegal immigrants. Those who have made Kenya uninhabitable are kenyans the likes of mugiki, sungusungu and there kinds.
Alfeisal was at the coast as a guest of the coastal community and not the Somali. The demo in nairobi was nor organized by the Somali either. The whole exersise is not about security of Kenya and never has been.
May I wish to remind these ignorant Kenyan bigots that Kenya as a country is a party to a special convention with the UNHCR (The UN Refugee Agency). Meaning, Kenya has an obligation to protect and assist any Somali or any other person running away from war, genocide na kadhalika. So if Kenya is deporting Somalis back to Somali, then Kenya is breaking the UN convention which is answerable before the UN council.
ReplyDeleteKenyans you are behaving like you are the first or the only country sheltering Somali refugees. Give me a break! Go to any European capital, Stockholm, London, Geneva, Brussels, Copenhagen, Moscow etc etc. you will find many Somali refugees who have run away from their war-torn country for their dear lives; some of whom have crossed to Europe at the back of the lorries or swam through the Mediterranean sea and entered mainland Europe illegally (without any papers)but the govt in these countries CANNOT deport them back to Somali even if they pose terror threat in those countries.
Wake up Kenyans and get civilised! We are in 2010 AD, for Christ sake!
Yours one and only,
Phil's Mistress
MR.YOU ARE FULL OF HATRED WHICH COMES FROM INGNORANCE OF THE HIGHEST DEGREE,FUELLED BY JELOUSY,YOU'VE MADE THIS BLOG SO MEDIOCRE AND USELESS,YUO WILL NEVER AND I REPEAT NEVER WILL BE MORE KENYAN THAN OTHERS INFACT YOU ARE A DISGRACE TO THE WHOLE KENYAN COMMUNITY.SHAME ON YOU.
ReplyDeleteChris ole (son of) corrupt officer we understand that you've lived in those tin huts that are generously offered to kenyan cops most of your life, we feel for you ,take it easy, no hard feelings for those that are thriving.
ReplyDeleteSo we're rapidly reaching consensus that the problem in Kenya is not Somali's-they should stay on and do their good work and try not to get fake Kenyan IDs and passports. Though they should learn to bargain--as the prices of housing is getting rather steep, locking a whole bunch of us out.
ReplyDeleteSo what ails Kenya? I think it's Raila Odinga and his unquenchable thirst for power and a worrying lack of morality. I think that is a dangerous, no lethal, combination. Ruto should make sure he is denied the chance to ascend to the presidency, where he would lead us all into the twilight just as he's led his stone-throwing, railway-uprooting, elianto-thieving, constituents there. A man for whom the rule of law is negotiable. No way!
What a WARPED way of thinking to justify deceipt. We are living a national lie and you cannot fail to see through SECURITY IN NUMBERS among those supporting fraud. Ati enterprising my foot. Here we have the EA Dubai flooding the Kenyan market with counterfait goods killing anything locally produced. What is more, they hire guns to thugs.
ReplyDeleteBottomline, ngojeni next electoral violence, they will bomb anybody threatening their 'illegal' investments. That is not to say they are patriotic, far from it.
Just see through the STUPID rants from the likes of so-called Phil's mistress. His modus operandi can be discerned from his handle-cheap loud-mouthed diaspora albeit empty.
True Kenyan somalis defending their fraudulent kin are no differnt from the overtly tribal Kenyan elite who will die advancing destructive games of their tribal warlords.
Kenya for Kenyans, period. Let the business suvvy go and rebuild Mogadishu. All else is living in denial.
Nimesema.
anon 6:45
ReplyDeleteRAO is the next prezo of jamhuri...tralalala......
i guess you must be okuyu...tralalala...
are you aware that the mungiki guy is taking okuyuland by storm ie you will all have to follow him to wherever he pleases..otherwise (jijazie)....tralalala...
margaret wanjiru is someone's proxy, i wonder who this is...tralalala...
pnu (thru ruto) thought they were fixing RAO by creating a BIG BAD PREZO and abolishing the PM post.
guess who this big bad guy will be come 2012? tralalala....
i guess come 2013, it will be back to square one for you guys-agitate for a new constitution because kihii is unelectable and all that crap that you guys have peddled for eons and has just refused to stick.
HAHAHAHHA....HEEEHEHEHEHE....
ANON @6:45
ReplyDeleteEti ruto should make sure he doesn't ascend to presidency....how dare you compare ruto a nyasi player with a BIG LEAGUE tough mohine like RAO?
As usual, everybody wants to be seen to be fighting RAO, ruto should ask the pnu brigade who made demonisiing RAO their occupation only to give up in shame. Right now they are still reeling from the shock of agwambo embracing whatever has come out naivasha. as usual, they don't know what to do next.
Want some advice? since pnu wants to do away with nusu mkate,please worry about who between ruto, uhuru, kalonzo sijui nani will be the pnu bad guy (prezo candidate)strong enough to beat RAO. mark you the mungiki guy is the next kikuyu leader in waiting. is he in PNU?
I fear Islam. I really do.
ReplyDeleteYou have nothing to fear from Islam and Islam has nothing to fear from you.
ReplyDeleteYou should fear God.
Get educated and you won't fear anybody.
You should fear your own stupidity. You let the western propagander do the thinking for you am not suprised.
ReplyDeleteAs we noted sometimes back, it is only when Somalis invest in Nairobi and other places, Kenyans seem to complain.
ReplyDeleteHowever, when the foreigners are from the West and other places, we see nothing to complain about.
Sample this:
In analysing the EPZ sector, which we have derided a number of times on KK as a very stupid idea, the Institute of Policy Analysis and Research is said to have noted that:
While this is the case, the report paints a bleak future in this sector of growth because majority of investments at the EPZs are foreign owned.
It says firms that are wholly or largely owned by foreigners are likely to repatriate most of their profits outside the country, hence their output cannot be used for re-investment, especially when domestic conditions become increasingly unfavourable.
According to the report, 16.9 per cent of investments in the EPZs are locally owned, compared to 53.5 per cent belonging to foreigners, while joint ventures claim 29.6 of the investments.
Source: http://www.nation.co.ke/business/news/-/1006/848702/-/hduhcmz/-/index.html
NB: As Ngugi wrote, decolonise your mind.
aha i knew the issue about somalis will be forgotten soon as the wrangling of akina pnu and odm owners and staunch followers is far from over as already displayed here.ukabila ukabila na eti wanasema wamesoma kitu gani even illiterates don't behave like that,kubaf!!!
ReplyDeleteChris,
ReplyDeleteYou have a point and I agree with you entirely. Some people here claim Somalis are enterprising? Show me one factory or processing plant that they have built from scratch. None, Zero.
We all know piracy money ends up in Kenya through the network of the2M Somalis.
I still remember the good old days when the Kenyan passport was a respected document worldiwde until Somalis arrived in the west(UK specifically) with illegally acquired Kenyan passports. Now we cannot travel to many countries without visas even to the so-called commonwealth. Tumeuza nchi.
What more illegal goods' untaxed or should I say Somali-taxed goods arrive through an airport dedicated to Somalis cargo companies i.e Eldoret Airport ati because if we dont allow them the airport will be idle. All because we sit on our butts and cant think of how to grow those flowers in Eld, build cold storage facilities and process fish in Kisumu for export thru this gem of an aiport.
If Somalis are so 'enterprising' - si waende wakajenge kwao? Let all the ones in diaspora go back to Somalia. They are clanish, they have no respect for 'nywele ngumu' (that goes for Ethiopians too and indeed several Arab-Kenyans 'ambao wana nywele za singa') unless you are of some economic gain to them.
I salute you Chris - let the Phil's Mistresses and a ton of Anonymouses wait until all the sand under which they have buried their heads in is blown away!!
While illegal immigrants should be registered and kept in detention centres untill their assylums are processed, the root problem here is us the kenyans. CORRUPTION IS THE MOTHER OF ALL EVIL.
ReplyDeleteRounding up somalis is just a stop-gap measure. If IDs can be bought they will be back, if the border police only want Ksh20 they'll be back, if the govt doesnt have the means and goodwill of checking where money being invested comes from foreigners will continue shafting kenyans.
Now everybody is on and on about somalis. It is true that some somalis call kenyans "adon", but most don't. How stupid can you be, coming from a country that has nothing and has been at war for 20 yrs, and calling the people who gave you peace and opportunity adon. There are kenyan somalis who love kenya, but could easily be radicalised by this somali this somali that talk. When somebody says Somalis should be kicked out the kenyan somali feels concerned and will come out to defend himself. People please let's acknowledge the difference.
BTW I have perudes all the photos and videos of the protests trying to find the alleged al-shabaab flag I have seen none. The al-shabaab flag has 2 swords and arabic inscriptions around the swords. The flag that youth was carrying is known as The Black Banner. It has one sword and the same arabic inscriptions but on top of the sword. It was the flag of the mislim army before. It was taken out was muslims were under attack and it was the duty of every muslim to follow it and defend his fellow muslims.
Jamia mosque was under attack. Most people think that all those people were there from the beginning of the protests. But in fact word spread out that the mosque was under attack and then it becomes the duty of every muslim to run there and defend the mosque whatever the price will be. Nobody can win against such people, ask the Americans, British, French in Algeria etc. Like Saladin told the crusaders "Do not come here, I will fight you using men who love death the way you love life". They didnt hear and they suffered a great loss.
ANd policemen asking wananchi to help them. Ai! ANother world first from the country with the highest paid MPs in the world. And the idlers Actually joining in..
My point is, kenyans let us all look at the cause of the problem. It is with our institutions, our police, OURSELVES. Our whole moral fabric is rotten. The people at the border will let in anybody for a few shillings. An ID costs Ksh5000, cheaper than a driver's licence which goes for Ksh7500 and a passport goes for Ksh25000. And these are all "genuine" documents sold by the officials in the relevant ministries. Now how will they tell who is an alien and who is a kenyan somali?!?!
Tuwache chuki, si lazima tupendane lakini chuki inaturegesha nyuma. Chuki inatufunga macho na hatuoni maadui wetu hasa ni kina nani. Let us live peacefully and develop our country.
Such issues are not controversial in Kenya only.
ReplyDeleteBelow is a speech by Prime Minister John Howard of Australia.
(I do not know or pretend to know of a solution but dialogue is healthy)
Prime Minister John Howard - Australia
Muslims who want to live under Islamic Sharia law were told on
Wednesday to get out of Australia , as the government targeted
radicals in a bid to head off potential terror attacks.
Separately, Howard angered some Australian Muslims on Wednesday by
saying he supported spy agencies monitoring the nation's mosques.
Quote: 'IMMIGRANTS, NOT AUSTRALIANS, MUST ADAPT. Take It Or Leave It.
I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we are offending some
individual or their culture. Since the terrorist attacks on Bali , we
have experienced a surge in patriotism by the majority of
Australians.'
'This culture has been developed over two centuries of struggles,
trials and victories by millions of men and women who have sought
freedom'
'We speak mainly ENGLISH, not Spanish, Lebanese, Arabic, Chinese,
Japanese, Russian, or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to
become part of our society . Learn the language!'
'Most Australians believe in God. This is not some Christian, right
wing, political push, but a fact, because Christian men and women, on
Christian principles, founded this nation, and this is clearly
documented. It is certainly appropriate to display it on the walls of
our schools. If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another
part of the world as your new home, because God is part of our
culture.'
'We will accept your beliefs, and will not question why. All we ask is
that you accept ours, and live in harmony and peaceful enjoyment with
us.'
'This is OUR COUNTRY, OUR LAND, and OUR LIFESTYLE, and we will allow
you every opportunity to enjoy all this. But once you are done
complaining, whining, and griping about Our Flag, Our Pledge, Our
Christian beliefs, or Our Way of Life, I highly encourage you take
advantage of one other great Australian freedom,
'THE RIGHT TO LEAVE'.'
'If you aren't happy here then LEAVE. We didn't force you to come
here. You asked to be here. So accept the country YOU accepted.'
Maybe if we circulate this amongst ourselves, American and Canadian
citizens will find the backbone to start speaking and voicing the same
truths
Forget what somalis say about "nywele ngumu". Like moi used to ask: who in the world respects black people. I would classify somalis as blacks because although they have some light skinned and straight haired individuals, a vast majority of them are dark skinned and nappy headed. The issue of light skin and straght hair is everywhere in the world. Didnt harry reid say obama was more likely to be accepted by whites beacuse of his light skin. Are we pretending that we do not know that bleaching (happens with all non-whites) and hair straightening is not a billion dollar industry? We can be PC all we want but i, like moi, know no one likes dark skinned people. This includes the dark skinned people themselves.
ReplyDeleteChris, I agree with you that they are some Somalis, I say some and not all, who can pose threat to security of our country.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I think you need to ask yourself the following questions and come back to us again with another convincing post - since I find this one mixed with realities and unfounded prejudice, the later nearly spoiling the whole post.
You need to ask yourself the following questions, how many Kenyans are dying in the hands of Kenya? We know that Al-Queda attacked Nairobi and killed around 220 Kenyans in a day. In the same way that Afghans are realising their enemies are not Americans but their fellow extremist Talibans is the same way we should also realise our enemies are not Somalis but our fellow Kenyan thugs, security organs and Mungiki.
The second question you need to ask yourself is, why Somalis and not Indians? Is it a case of jealous for Somalis? Compare Somalis and Indians and I can tell you that Indians are deeper into Kenyan economy than Somalis. I might also not be surprised that majority of this Indians channel their money to India unlike Somalis who invest the bulk of their money here.
Whenever we talk about property prices rising up we think about Somalis, but Chris I'm telling you right now and I should not repeat, Real Estate prices are rising so fast due to huge demand for it not only from Somali, but also Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Congo and Kenyans in diaspora. Stop relying on the media who wants to potray that real estate in Nairobi and Mombasa is soaring up because of Somalis yet they don't mention interests from Europe.
You need to know that Dubai has over 75% immigrants, some of who come from what we call failed states like Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and Somali, however the place has continuously remained safe.
There are policy that the government needs to come up with to control illegal immigrants and it's land. They should also be able to check the source of money from any foreigner, and not only Somalis. Further they should not deter Somalis who have clean money to invest in Kenya, afterall are they human beings like us and like other investors?
The government should be able to safeguard it's people, including the Kenya Somali, and I will even propose they beef up security in Eastleigh above improving infrastructure there.
Somalis discovered Dubai before most of us and some of them get the money from trading between UAE and Kenya, therefore we should not have this wrong notion that all Somali money are dirty after all did Garissa Market start before the problem of piracy started?
I think you need to put your effort and priority in condemning the security organs of the country, it's system and greed among the few (if not majority) and not Somalis.
As intelligence officials study the violent riots that hit Nairobi nine days ago, they will probably be checking for any hint of xenophobic undertones and its potential implications on ethnic relations in Kenya in the future.
ReplyDeleteThe report expose Kenya as an intolerant nation:
Read more here:
http://allafrica.com/stories/201001250368.html
why cant these Somalis go back and rebuild their country with the so called money that they have? SInce they cant employ Kenyans and have made cost of renting houses to soar, they should go!!!! Waende and be ruled by Al Shabaab!
ReplyDeleteis it difficult for them to do this? of course not. Somalis should be treated with all the caution that is now being exercised albeit, unfortunately too late. Ask the indiginous Kenyans who used to live in Eastleigh what they have done and you are sure to have a time bomb waiting to explode. I would rather have an indiginous Kenyan 'militia' read Mungiki take over than these Somalis. By the way i have no hate for them. i just wonder why they simply dont want to go back to their country and develop it. Si we have educated somalis in all sectors? They are the ones to go home and those in the diaspora and negotiate with Al Shabaab to be reasonable and allow Somalis from all parts of the world to go home and start building. For your information, they like to find ready built things so that they can just flash cash and hey presto, they are owners of the building. i would rather we protect Kenyans than foreigners who if we are not careful might drive us out of our land!
I have said many times that Immigration should be controlled to the fullest. We simply can't allow everyone to FLOOD in Nairobi which is already strained to the fullest by a huge population explosion.
ReplyDeleteChris and other Kenyans like myself don't have a problem with the local Kenyan born and bred Somalis as some dimwits want to show. The problem is the influx of illegal Somali mostly immigrants from the failed state called Somalia who have faked their way into the system, period!
I know that there is a lot of chaos and strife in Somalia, but refugees fleeing that madness must be welcomed in refugee camps not cities, then whisked back to rebuild their nation when there's some peace. How comes TZ and UG doesn't welcome them at all?
Kenya is a great country and we host nearly 1 million refugees from neighbouring countries like DRC, Rwanda, S Sudan etc but who are mostly in manageable numbers. Kenya has also invested heavily in peace efforts in Somalia and S.Sudan, so our Govt deserves some credit for that.
The resentment from other Kenyans seem to be from thousands of Somalis SWARMING IN DAILY investing lots of billions from piracy in Kenya, thus pushing housing markets thru the roof in places like South C where ordinary folks now have to move out. Kenyans are feeling over whelmed by their trooping in and taking over. When do we say ok, we have given refuge to enough Somali brothers, time for TZ, Ethiopia and UG to also take some?
The question is this, where are these billions coming from? If the Somali refugees want to live and invest in Kenya, I have no problem as long as their numbers are manageable and controllable. But they MUST register with the Immigration dept so that we keep proper records of who is coming to our country.
As I said, We should be proud as Kenyans and mostly CHRISTIANS for our efforts in helping Somalis who are mostly MUSLIMS, but they should also be seen to be doing something about their country coz it's now been over 2 decades since their senseless wars began.
Foreigners FLOODING in, buying all estates, demolishing houses and erecting mega mosques in a predominantly Christian nation can cause resentment and that's precisely what is happening in Kenya! Waving Alshabaab flag while CHANTING Arabic slogans and shooting our police will not add you any admirers, will it?
It doesn't help when nearly all their MPs are living large in Kenya's 5 star hotels as their country burns to ash. By fixing Somalia, they shall have fixed a huge percentage of piracy in Indian Ocean, flow of illegal guns in Kenya, peace in the region, refugee's suffering and a very bad CV!
M Pesa
Nbi Kenya.
You dimwit know nothing about economics. You are so full of hate and recentments towards fellow Africans and would welcome a mzungu who is only interested in quick profit which is taken out of the country.
ReplyDeleteYour country is actively advocating for direct foreign investment which favours the mzungu investor at the expense of Kenya. At least we know the Somalis do reinvest the profits in Kenya, read no capital flight. This is the kind of foreign investment that Africa needs not multinationals who keep us poorer and pooer.
By the way there is a strong Somali community in Uganda and they are well treated and are never harassed as they are in Kenya.
Kenyan Somalis are most disciminated community in this country and have no reason to be proud of it. Infact they would prefer to break away and it could happen.
Did you know it is the Somali money that has kept Kenya through this hard times, just as drug money has kept the west from colapse.
And why has that same money not help rebuild Mogadishu? Tell it to the birds
ReplyDeletewhat about mungiki should they go back to cameroon,cushites were the earliest inhabitants of east africa and if one is a kenyan nobody can piga kifua and dare say those in the diaspora waende kwao.
ReplyDeleteyes kikuyus have been saying that tangu zamani to kenyan somalis waende kwao nyinyi mulitoka wapi west africa hata afadhali the luo walitoka karibu southern sudan.
ReplyDeleteYou should be more worried of Jaluo and their weapon of mass destruction called HIV/AIDS!
ReplyDeleteThe future of Kenya remain bleak as long as this primitive tribe continues to practise wife inhertance.
I wish you would campaign against this killer (AIDS) here the way you are campaigning against Somalis.
They will be more people killed of AIDS in 5 years time than through terrorism.
Tribal massacres have already been done in kenya especially during the last general elections all patriotic kenyans should come together make the country a better place,tujenge nchi yetu wacha mambo ya kabila hii kabila ile.
ReplyDeletei've lived in Eastleigh for 40 year and have never seen kenyans(not somalis) critisizing whites and asians who are practically running kenya economically but somalis who are our neighbours and employ our youth have been getting very bad press of late is it jealous or just blantant dehumanisation of a poor and defanceless community why don't you drirect your energies to migingo grabbers and ethiopian cattle raiders in upper north.
ReplyDeletewhat a derranged, nywele ngumu meno brown type.your full of shit! somalis are hard working and don't seat around for hand-out from politicians like majority of gossiping kenyans if only we had peace in somalia. somalis from somalia have no less right to live and invest in kenya than luos from uganda,sudan and massai from tanzania you dimwit! proud soamli kenyan
ReplyDeleteA vast majority of somalis are dark skinned, stupid and stink. I know there are a few who kind of look like arabs. In fact I have a somali friend who looks like an arab. He is not a follower of the prophet and generally prefers the company of non-somali kenyans. We are both admirers of Ayaan Hirsi.
ReplyDeleteKenya’s National Security in Peril - Part 1
ReplyDeleteThe article, “Kenya's Security: Stuff that Kenyans don't want to know" is as timely as it is well argued. I agree with the writer that we have not, as Kenyans, and our government policy makers, defined adequately what constitutes our national security. In fact, the rejoinders to this thoughtful article confirm this fact. The lack of a broad understanding of national security, in its fullest dimensions, undermines any desire to develop a comprehensive framework to address emergent challenges. Two, living in different parts of Kenya, as the author did while growing up the son of an "always on transfer" policeman, helps to develop a well rounded appreciation of mundane but, nonetheless relevant issues. I had the privilege of traveling to and living in many parts of Kenya. I can say, with nostalgia, that it is an awesome experience getting to interact with and to understand the different cultures and peoples of Kenya.
It has been my fear for a long time that the Somali(a) factor, that is, a stateless society having a 1000 mile porous border with and ethnic kin in Kenya is a potential long-term national security challenge with large, complex and far-reaching ramifications for Kenya. Let me take a broad perspective to get at the heart of the matter. To begin with we have to be prepared to accept that a broader definition of national security to be able to delineate the facts that beg for such a definition is necessary.
There are dimensions of national security issues in every facet of our national life. The fabric of our society, communities, economy and polity are precariously interwoven by a thread that holds only because of the organic integrity of each institution and the aspect of life it supports. Any lapses in one aspect could lead the rest to unexpectedly cave in. So, if crime prevention is not working, or lack of good economic intelligence compromise food security or the department of immigration is held down by corrupt practices, our national security is at stake and uncertainty and fear might take their toll. This example, roughly, describes the enormity of the potential threats that a well defined system known as national security is/should be designed to address.
The Somali factor is a result of short-comings that we might associate with the lack of a well structured national security system. There might be numerous underlying explanations. Immigration may not have done its job, national security forces might have slept on the job, looked the other way (or the right way with divergent motivations). Or, there might have been lack of adequate oversight among international agencies responsible for refugees and displaced persons leading to an uncontrollable spill-over from refugee camps.
Whatever the diagnosis, the right moment is here to give national security a broader definition and more potent policy instrumentality. Defined at the fundamental level, a national security system is the set of plans and actions that aim at the protection and enhancement of the values and beliefs, way of life, institutions of governance and national integrity, unity, welfare and well-being of the nation and people. The gold standard for these values and standards are Kenya’s socio-political stability, territorial integrity, economic solidarity and strength, ecological balance (yes, national survival depends on the effective conservation of our natural environment), cultural cohesiveness, national consensus (i.e. a national vision inspired, and demonstrated and solemnized in our words and deeds, our patriotism, national pride and our commitment toward the advancement of national goals and objectives).
Kenya’s National Security in Peril – Part 2
ReplyDeleteKenya’s national security environment is constituted by (the management of) internal threats (crime, poverty, economic sabotage or malaise, corruption, natural and man-made disasters, environmental degradation, threats to social-cultural cohesion, food insecurity etc), Then there are external threats such as conflicts in countries neighboring Kenya and the resultant influx of foreign nationals fleeing conflict into our country through inadequately secured borders; the proliferation of (and trade in) small arms from conflicts in the region; Somalia, Sudan etc; cross-border cattle-rustling e.g. Karamojong’ vs. Pokot; Turkana vs Degodia and Ajuran, skirmishes between Borana and their Ethiopian cousins etc. One could go further and spell out cases of economic sabotage, corruption, (institutional, grand or otherwise), that pose present danger and threats to national security.
Suffice it to say that, based on the late response to the Somali factor, it is my guess that, for Kenya, national security is yet to be defined in those broad terms. Instead, and Saitoti’s clampdown on illegal residents points to a haphazard and spur-of-the-moment reaction to a real national security problem, Kenya’s national security apparatus remains fragmented and their operational cohesiveness is tentative at best. The import of this gaping lack of a comprehensive national security (as opposed to the narrow concept of national defense and internal security) framework and institutional infrastructure is that Kenya’s is a time bomb waiting to explode as far as threats to national security, properly defined, are concerned.
Let’s take the known ‘on-the-street” wisdom about the Somali factor. Somalis are known to have upstaged US security forces (remember Black Hawk Down”?). Somalis operate with ease in all four corners of the world. They have been associated with, according to some reports with activities suspected to suggest Al-Qaeda leanings. And, this does not begin to sufficiently represent an indication of a looming problem for Kenya, a free entry country for Somali nationals? Somalis are far and away street-smarter than most people credit them for. They are far more adventurous, with the flair to deploy their courage in, often, discomforting ways, anywhere and for any purpose. Thus the injection of free-falling Somali capital into Kenya’s economy is as dangerous, if not way more dangerous than the proliferation of “rent-a-gun’ business in Eastleigh for small-time crime and kienyeji robbery. This uncharted, untracked capital will take (has taken) root with yet-to-be estimated consequences.
Kenya’s National Security in Peril – Part 3
ReplyDeleteSo what have other countries with more robust national security policies and ethos done differently than we have? The USA has long, since the Clinton years or better still, since the enactment of their National Security Act in 1947, anchored many of their foreign and domestic policies on the national security question. Food, drug-trafficking, immigration, pollution, climate change, energy security and many more policies, all appear to conform to the national security narrative. The list of national security agencies is long and, for those who think of national security in narrow terms as defense against threats to territorial integrity, it might appear bloated. From intelligence and homeland security to the FBI, energy and economic intelligence etc, it is a formidable infrastructure. This apparatus makes possible concerted approaches to the identification, analysis and expedititious formulation of policy strategies addressing a broad spectrum of threats to national security. Protracted consultations between experts, policy makers and politicians take place before a policy position is arrived at. What is guaranteed is that when decisions are made, full spirited strategies and actions are deployed and these range from strong showings at climate change or trade conferences to anti-drug trafficking or anti-illegal immigration programs. That is the US and we may never get to be that thorough in the foreseeable future. Elsewhere around the world the size, variety and form these institutions take depends on how well defined or prioritized national security is.
We may be far from developing a great national security system in Kenya. However, it is never too late to get started. I thought such measures as the recent police reform commissions are a good initiative even though they do not exactly address the broader issues. Regrettably, there is inertia as far as Kenya’s institutional and policy transformation efforts are concerned. I dare say it is my opinion that our institutions are decrepit and possibly moribund. They lack the innovativeness to initiate and pursue change. There is a lack of a climate of policy innovation with policy analysts outside of government advocating consistently for pragmatism and change. Our government seems complacent and impervious to any other voice but its own. How, for example, should we understand or be satisfied with only one police (as in “police”) training college in Kenya since independence? Kenya’s population has grown by tens of millions since 1963. Crime prevalence, incidence and sophistication has quadrupled. White collar crimes beg for better trained and expanded security forces as well as a sound criminal justice system. Yet, this is just one example. There are many other inert, “un-growing” agencies and forces that, in a more progressive climate, might grow to complement a national security system. These are thoughts that smother the idea of the Saitoti raids on Somalis (as an effective solution to the Somali factor) down to smithereens. What Saitoti may be doing might be positive but is not nearly enough. Without any visible effort to create a protracted cross-agency collaboration across national security agencies (such as Department of Homeland Security in the US) bringing together the CID, port police, immigration, NSIS, customs, and working in collaboration with international agencies for humanitarian and relief agencies, Saitoti’s half measures will remain just that, and the Somali factor will remain a national security threat for a long time to come.
Thanx anon @ 11:57,
ReplyDeleteThe biggest challenge I have always had with sensitive security issues in this blog is this;
How do you debate issues with folks who don't understand and don't want to understand?
-Kumekucha-
Chris,
ReplyDeleteWe don't want to understand because you are putting your point wrongly by accusing Somali community as a threat to National security when in reality anyone can pose a threat to our national security. One example, Al Kimathi, the organiser of Jamia's mosque riot.
the illegal somalis in eastleigh got in and bought stuff with the knowledge of govt officials. they did not issue themselves with title deeds, or business permits. Some Kenyan did it. stop blaming warias
ReplyDeletesome people here write vitu ya maana lakini pia kuna mangombe wengi very back in time like 1000yrs,and to those who have chuki mingi not good you will end up with alot of wrinkles mapema sana.
ReplyDeleteFirst, to the 'historian' claiming 'Cushites' were the original occupants of East Africa, and i'm trying trying to be subtle here, Abdi you're wrong. If you had been awake in class you would have avoided such a callous display of vanity on ancient Kush and the early inhabitants of these lands who BTW happen to be San hunter/gatherers from whom present-day Ogieks descend.
ReplyDeleteOn the same vein, and as anyone with a passing familiarity of African history would know, Somalis along with the Portuguese, the British and South Asians- in that order- are in fact, among the last arrivals on East African- indeed African- soil following their expulsion (surprise surprise!) from the Arabian peninsula at around 700 A.D.
['Africa for Africans from the South Atlantic to the Mediterranean']