The year 2020 brought with it mixed reactions around the world, especially in Kenya.
One of the reasons Kenyansʼ emotions are running high 13 days into the new year, are the now rampant Al -Shabaab attacks.
On Thursday, January 2, 2020, three people were killed in a suspected Al-Shabaab attack targeting a bus near Kenya’s coastal town of Lamu.
The terror group acted again on January 5, attacking the Manda Bay military base, and killing one soldier and two Department of Defence Contractors.
Barely a week later, on January 10, a police post in Mandera was attacked by suspected Al-Shabaab gunmen who also tried to destroy a communication mast.
This morning, three non-local teachers were killed in a suspected Al-Shabaab attack in Kamuthe area, Garissa County.
The group targeted a communication mast and police post in the 1 a.m attack. Local authorities disclosed that the three teachers were butchered by the militants in the wee hours the night.
This terror attack prompted Kenyans to voice strong opinions online, calling for the government and and its various institutions to wake up and focus on the nation’s security.
Among those leading the rants was Kenyan activist and former Starehe parliamentary hopeful Boniface Mwangi who questioned the role of the National Intelligence Service in connection to the recent attacks.
Through his official Facebook page, Mwangi claimed that the agency’s recruitment process “has been compromised by politicians” whom he added, “send their children and relatives to work there”.
The photojournalist whose snaps of the dreadful post-election violence that rocked Kenya in 2007-08 brought him to fame, went on to label the NIS as a ‘political tool’ whose full focus only lies on politicians, gossip and activities of local pressure groups.
In the explosive paragraph, argued that those currently working at the agency are “cool kids” who can’t “live in villages and collect intel”.
He also alleged that top Kenyan politicians are working closely with militants from the terror group in the highly profitable business of illegally importing products into the country.
The post certainly drew lots of reactions, as some Kenyans seemed to agree with the Ukweli Party leader’s remarks while others came to the defence of the agency, saying they have effectively prevented many attacks in the past.
Inspector-General [of Police] Hilary Mutyambai last week announced that security forces were on high alert since the attack in Lamu.
