Maybe A Luhya Should Head The Army, The Police, And The Security Ministry-By Ojijo

I am so sorry about the loss of the 148 lives, including the policeman, the soldier, the security guards at the university, and the students.

As a young man, I know the dreams that have been shattered by the murderers infidels. Yes, they are not Muslims, they are not believers, they are murderers, cruel, cold and calculating machines of war, destruction, and plunder.

As a Kenyan, a Luo, and a professional lawyer, author, guest lecturer, and expert consultant, I know it would have been me. It would easily have been me giving a guest lecture at the campus, selling gone of my 51 books, training on human rights, law, or governance, and or just visiting my sister, my friends, my former classmates. It would have been me!

As a child of my parents, and a parent myself who has also lost a child before, I cannot imagine the pain and sorrow that has befallen the parents. Nothing can justify the parent burying the child. It is unacceptable, but now we must accept it. We must accept it because the heads of security forces do not learn; because the main head of the security forces is afraid to take hard decisions. Yes, we can abuse, kick and spit at President Museveni on his democracy record, but Uganda is the safest, most warm country in East Africa. Who can argue with peace and security? As the Russian poet, mystic, revolutionary and philosopher wrote in 1917, “with peace, nothing else matters, and without peace, nothing else matters.”

It is okay to have political differences, indeed, it is okay to have religious differences, but anyone who sheds another’s blood, must have their blood spilt. No one can purport to act on behalf of God. The gods were doing pretty well before we came. No one can purport to protect God, the gods can protect themselves alright. You terrorists, we know you are permeating our mosques, targeting poor Muslim youth, giving them twisted Quranic messages, promoting violent extremism, and using our youth to destroy our future. We reject you. I reject you. I reject you, scum of the earth, remnants of creation, refuse of civilization. I reject you, terrorists, murderers, and infidels. I reject you, because you are neither Muslims, nor human. You are beastly, animalistic, and you are brutes. You stink. I reject you!

But even as the terrorists are killing our fellow citizens, we are busy fighting corruption of shillings and cents, pointing fingers and painting fracas, when we should be fighting the greatest corruption: the inability to get the right people to do the job. Stern faces will not cut it. Shouting and threatening will not cut it. Tribalism will not cut it. Wait. Maybe tribalism is the answer. They seem to be running security docket based on tribal numbers of influence. First, it was the Kikuyus, then, now, the Kalenjins, maybe they now need to try out the Luhyas.

Fighting the terrorists is not a matter of skill. If that were so, we would have won, the army, police, and other agencies are led by well trained men and women, disciplined, and focused. Fighting terrorists will not be won by guns and tanks. If it were so, then we would not be in Somalia by now, or other places. This is a war of space. This is a war of inches, and square metres. It is a war of miles, and units of kilometers. It is a war that will be won, as Napoleon Bonaparte said, by brave and bold men. We need to be brave, and bold. We need a brave and bold leader, and can make brave and bold statements, and issue brave and bold directives, and take brave and bold actions. How can we go to help in Somalia, when we cannot appear at a scene of shooting, in a violent prone area, for over one hour? How can we not be monitoring our borders, with drones, and regular air crafts, when we know the militants used the same borders, and are likely to use them again? Sun Tzu, the greatest military general, strategist, and statesman, advised that, “most wars are won without fighting at all.” Why can’t we win the information battle space? The answer is one. We are skilled, but not bold. We are trainer, but not brave. This is where we are weak. This is where we need to be strong.

These murderers who have denied us future scientists, doctors, engineers and social workers; who have taken from us teachers, security men, and friends; and who have rendered our schools, mosques, and churches, unholy, must be extinguished. We must look for them, we must find them, and we must kill them. They are animals. They have already left civility, and its norms. They have given unto themselves new laws, laws of the jungle, and by God, we shall use those laws to put an end to them. This is play for power, not religion, tribe, or culture. They want power, they need power, and yet, we engage them otherwise.  

As I write elsewhere in my book, “This is How to Manipulate Voters: Ojijo’s Guide for Politicians, Aspiring Politicians and Campaign Managers”, “Power only listens to power; power only respects power”. President Uhuru needs to muster courage, stand up, take decision, and be executive. Mr. President, you have the power, use it, or step aside, and let someone who can. You need to be brave and bold, Mr. President.

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Ojijo. +256776100059. ojijo@allpublcspakers.com. Lawyer. Author Of 51 Books. Public Speaker. Consultant. Rotarian. Inua Kijana Fellow. Entrepreneur. Investor.  Poet. Pianist.