WHY MAKE NOISE WHEN UGANDAN SOLDIERS ARE NOT THE ONLY PEOPLE TO HAVE INVADED KENYA?

By Jerry Okungu
Nairobi, Kenya
February 25, 2009

I stand corrected but as far as I know, the invasion of Migingo Island is not the first invasion Kenya has experienced. Territorially, Western Kenya bordering Uganda in Karamojong and West Pokot have been for years the Ugandan soldiers’ shooting range!

How many times have Ugandan soldiers pursued “cattle-rustlers” deep into Kenya territory, terrorized villagers, raped a few women, killed a few men and made off with animals and food stuffs? How many times have we heard whimpering denials from the police force and the provincial administration about such raids? The same denials we are now receiving from a local DC in Nyatike, whose jurisdiction covers the disputed Migingo Island?

For years, Kenyan fishermen have been the subject of torture, arrests and intimidation by both Tanzanian and Ugandan soldiers whenever they have gone fishing on the common waters of Lake Victoria; never mind that the bulk of the rivers feeding Lake Victoria are from the Kenyan highlands!

On the Eastern and Northern borders, it has been common for Kenya to be raided by militias from Ethiopian and Somali borders leaving death and destruction in villages. Innocent Kenyans have lost their lives and property without either compensation from the government that is supposed to protect them or vigorous protests to the governments in our region. Yes, our peaceful nature has encouraged our hostile neighbors to assume, and rightly so, that we are incapable of defending our territorial integrity.

As things stand; should Somalia, Ethiopia and Sudan join Uganda in claiming bits and parcels of land from Kenyan territory; we will be a besieged nation because we have weaklings for leaders that cannot be decisive enough in the defense of our land.

This lackluster political leadership is what makes some of us miss Jomo Kenyatta the most. The old man could not tolerate any nonsense from foreigners playing with our sovereignty. When Idi Amin of Uganda and Shiftas in North Eastern Province threatened Kenyan territories, the old man was swift and devastating. Amin made a hasty retreat while the shiftas lived to regret claiming Northern Kenya on behalf of the Mogadishu regime.

Talking of sporadic invasion of Kenyan territory from time to time by soldiers and militias across our borders; what exactly is the work of a national army that has never seen combat in 50 years? Why do we have an army in the first place? How come they were swift and devastating when it came to Mt. Elgon civilian uprising against land grabbing? Why can’t these soldiers use the same force, helicopters, gun boats and all to defend Kenyan waters in Lake Victoria and off the Coast of Somalia where pirates are reigning supreme? How come when Ugandan soldiers invade West Pokot and Karamojong borders all our soldiers do is to continue lazing around in barracks? Whose responsibility is it to declare a state of emergency incase of a foreign invasion?

Where is the Kenyan National Defense Council? Where are the Army Chief of Staff and his commanders when a foreign flag is hoisted on Kenyan soil? Is this really the work of a helpless PC and his poorly armed and ill-trained polisi kanga?

But again, when you come to think of it, Kenyans have been invaded many times over by all sorts of mad armies all over. In fact we are constantly under siege and held hostage by thugs on our roads masquerading as public service vehicle drivers. The mayhem on our Nairobi’s Central Business District right in front of Traffic Policemen is a spectacle to behold. Lawlessness has taken over.

A so called City Bus can jump from the last lane on the right in front of GPO on Kenyatta Avenue and squeeze every motorist until it gets to the last lane on the left where it was supposed to be in the first place, quite oblivious of traffic rules and courtesy to other road users.

Big time conmen have also not been left behind in this invasion and plunder of Kenya resources. If Golden Berg architects are not doing their thing with the Central Bank loot, another group is siphoning billions of Kenyan public cash through Anglo Leasing International, a fictitious company owned by ghosts.

Just at about the time we are about to let the Anglo Leasing ghosts slip off our minds, another gang of real raiders visit our Kenya Pipe Line Company, cart away Ksh 8 Billion as others visit the National Maize and Produce and Cereals Board to off load a million bags of maize leaving 11 million Kenyans to face death by starvation.
Yes, Ugandan forces may be sitting pretty on Migingo Island flying their bendera there; but here too we have too many invaders occupying us full time.

When will we elect John Michuki president to bring sanity to this country and help us reclaim our country back?

jerryokungu@gmail.com