Nairobi News

General

Why has Nairobi turned into a den of terrorists?


The recent spate of terrorist attacks has confirmed our worst fears; that this country, and particularly Nairobi, is not safe any more.

Nairobians are living under the dark cloud of terrorism and they cannot go about their lives without the fear of being attacked.

Shopping malls and churches are no longer the peaceful public places we used to frequent, but have become easy targets for terrorism.

While we appreciate what the government and our security forces are doing to protect us and foil potential attacks, we are also alive to the fact that more needs to be done.

Our security forces need to be more vigilant in guarding wananchi and increasing their war against terror.

Government, of course, has a critical role in this security question by empowering our security forces with the right tools of the trade.

Nairobi is the capital of this country and the country’s nerve centre. Investors, expatriates and Kenyans alike need to feel safe to carry out their businesses and live their lives.

This means security must be at the top of the government’s priorities to ensure everyone and their money are safe.

The government, in uniting Kenyans, must come up with proactive approaches to deal with a looming dislike of Kenyans of Somali descent and Somali nationals within the country.

Terrorist attacks

Animosity has been simmering against them, particularly in areas such as Eastleigh where terrorist attacks are the order of the day. 

If not nipped in the bud, we could be staring at a crisis of xenophobic attacks.

How is the government planning to protect this minority, most of whom are a victim of circumstances? It is an open secret that Somalis in the country are treated with suspicion, while jokes about them ‘exploding’ abound. 

The government must be very sensitive in striking a balance between curbing terrorism and maintaining national unity.

Kenyans must also play a vital role by being their brothers’ keepers and staying vigilant to report any suspicious incidents or characters within our societies. 

We must abandon the notion of ‘Every man for himself, God for us all’ if we want to recapture the peaceful city we had, free of terrorist attacks.

nneditor@ke.nationmedia.com