Your security is in the hands of this man

Interior ministry nominee faces MPs with confidence — and some general answers about insecurity. 

By PETER LEFTIE pmutibo@ke.nationmedia.com
Monday, June 3   2013

 

In Summary

• What his answers lacked in specificity and masterly of national security, they appeared to make up with what Speaker Justin Muturi described as “passion”.

Mr Joseph ole Lenku — the little-known hotelier nominated to the powerful position of Cabinet Secretary for Interior and Coordination of National Government — presented a confident front when he appeared before MPs for vetting Monday.

Mr Lenku, the general manager of Utalii Hotel, was questioned during a vigorous session which reflected the general unease that he might not have the experience and exposure for such a docket.

For nearly three hours, the 43-year old wrestled with a barrage of questions from MPs on a wide range of issues including spiralling insecurity, the turf wars between the Inspector General of Police, Mr David Kimaiyo, and the National Police Service Commission chairman, Mr Johnstone Kavuludi and the conflict between governors and regional commissioners.

What his answers lacked in specificity and masterly of national security, they appeared to make up with what Speaker Justin Muturi described as “passion”.

MPs wanted to know whether he had the spine to confront drug barons and whether he was prepared to resign if he failed to tackle the myriad challenges facing the docket.

One of the MPs even told him to his face that he was not impressed with his performance at the interview and accused him of giving “general and academic” responses to MPs’ questions.

“You have been giving us very general responses, you have not impressed me,” Ijara MP Ahmed Ibrahim Abbas said.

Mr Lenku had for example explained that he was going to apply technology in border protection but did not specify what kind technology that will be. But he did explain that with the additional resources he was getting from the government, he will buy more arms and equipment for security forces.

Mr Lenku will be stepping into giant shoes: his predecessor, Prof George Saitoti was a former Vice President for more than decade and in the Cabinet since 1983. He had managed big dockets such as Education and Finance and was a professor of Mathematics to boot.

Before then was John Michuki, whose national security experience stretched back to the colonial days when he served in the provincial administration.

But former President Kibaki’s first National Security minister, Dr Chris Murungaru too had no national security experience when he was picked for the docket.

Yesterday, Mr Lenku appeared to have emerged from the session largely unscathed with many of the committee’s members appearing generally satisfied with his performance.

“I think he will manage. The guy was very confident and this is a position which needs a guy who will take very bold decisions. I am personally very confident that he is the right guy for the job,” said a member of the committee who declined to be named because he is on oath not to discuss the deliberations outside Parliament.

However, Kitui Senator David Musila, a long serving Provincial Commissioner in the Moi regime said the job required a person with experience in security matters given the challenges facing the country.

“One would hope that anyone who takes over this challenge must be a man or woman with experience. It will be a pity if a person without experience is appointed to the docket and insecurity continues in the country,” said Mr Musila.

Budalang’i MP Ababu Namwamba also had misgivings about Mr Lenku’s ability to deliver.

“One would expect that a nominee for the Interior Affairs docket should be a person who will immediately instill a sense of confidence among Kenyans. While not appearing to look down upon the gentleman, I doubt if a principal of small beverage  college can deal with this challenge,” Mr Namwamba stated.

“The government lost the opportunity in the fight against insecurity when it sacrificed ability, experience and knowledge at the altar of ethnic balancing. Its determination to pander to the demands of ethnic interests clouded their eyes. I just hope that he proves the skeptics wrong. If not, he will go down as the most disastrous choice for a Cabinet Secretary which will come with serious consequences,” he added.

Dr Murungaru also had some misgivings about the choice of Mr Lenku.

“I don’t know the man at all, apart from what I have read in the press. However, handling security matters needs a bit of political exposure. Security has a strong political component especially the cases we are experiencing now in Tana River, Garissa, Bungoma and other parts. It needs that approach. And because security cuts across the country, that political touch comes into play since you will be dealing with the totality of Kenyans. If I was asked, I would have said he is perhaps a little bit green,” he said.

Another MP conversant with security matters but who declined to be named also said Mr Lenku will face serious challenges if appointed.

“He does not have a feel of the job at hand, he will need to learn very fast. It will be a baptism of fire,” said the MP.

It is the turf wars between Mr Kimaiyo and Mr Kavuludi which, however, dominated the interview with several MPs asking Mr Lenku what action he will take to end the squabbling.

MPs also sought to know whether the turf wars were contributing to the rising insecurity in the country and what he would do to fast track reforms in the police service.

Kigumo MP Jamleck Kamau fired the first salvo when he sought to know what was causing insecurity in Western Kenya while his Kuresoi North counterpart Moses Cheboi demanded to know who, between Mr Kimaiyo and Mr Kavuludi, should take the blame for the problems in the police service.

Gem MP Jakoyo Midiwo warned that the turf wars were taking a dangerous political dimension and wondered why Mr Kimaiyo was seeking “personal powers” yet he sat on the NPSC.

Mr Lenku explained that overlaps in the mandates of the two offices could be behind the turf wars and said that this could be addressed through amendments to the law establishing the two offices.

“It appears that there could be some overlaps and I am also privy to information that some amendments to the law are being worked on. We will come back to you to rectify the law because we appreciate that you can only take orders from one command,” Mr Lenku said.

He added that he will convene a meeting to resolve the rift between the IG and the NPSC chairman as soon as he is appointed noting that it could be contributing to the insecurity in the country.
“I will do this expeditiously because national security supersedes everything else, it is not about individuals,” he stated.

On the conflict between the Governors and Regional Commissioners, Mr Lenku was categorical that the law was very specific on the roles of the two offices and warned the commissioner against meddling in the governance of the counties.