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Top security chiefs must keep off politics

Editorial logo Nation.Africa

By  Editorial

The national security agencies have clear mandates to protect all Kenyans. Therefore, they must remain nonpartisan and never engage in politics.

Inspector-General of Police Douglas Kanja, the Chief of Defence Forces, General Charles Kahariri, and National Security Intelligence boss Noordin Haji have recently sparked public anger with remarks construed as evidence of their support for the government against the opposition.

The head of a highly professional and reputable military that has won international accolades for peacekeeping missions and other assignments should never dabble in politics. The military has always kept out of national politics, thus concentrating on protecting the territorial borders and enhancing internal security.

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These officials may have expressed their personal opinions, but they should have been more careful in their utterances. There is, of course, no evidence that this was an official position. They just defied the political neutrality that is the security agencies’ modus operandi.

IG Kanja reportedly spoke at President William Ruto’s political rally in the Mt Kenya region, wading into the storm that had been earlier triggered by Gen Kahariri, who took issue with the ‘Ruto must go chants’ and advised that the change of the country’s leadership must be done within the Constitution.

For his part, NSIS boss Haji claimed that “divisive politics has found a new breeding ground on our social media platforms”. And to cap the apparent folly, Mr Kanja addressed the political rally in his home county of Nyeri in his official regalia in the company of President Ruto, casting doubt on the independence of his vital office.

The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) has denounced IG Kanja’s participation at the political rally as a worrying trend by the security chiefs. It challenged him to resign if he wants to engage in partisan politics.

These top officials must fully comply with the Leadership and Integrity Act, which prohibits them from compromising the neutrality of the crucial positions they hold.