Lamu, KENYA: Coast Regional Coordinator Nelson Marwa has poked holes into the ongoing multi-agency Security Operation Linda Boni which is meant to flush out Al-Shabaab militants from the Boni forest and asked why doesn’t seem to be achieving its objective.
Marwa said it was worth questioning that despite the existence of the operation for almost two year now, nothing has changed in as far as Lamu security is concerned.
Speaking when he met Lamu security bosses and residents at the Mahrus Hotel in Lamu town on Sunday,Marwa said it was shocking that despite the heavy security presence and enough equipment and facilitation for the operation,Alshabaab militants still come out to kill locals and flee back into the same forest which is a major operation zone.
He warned officers conducting the Linda Boni operation led by director Joseph Kanyiri to up their game and act more responsibly failure to which they will be reshuffled.
Marwa termed the ineffectiveness of the operation so far as an act of laxity of the part of the officers conducting it and said such wouldn’t be tolerated at the expense of peopl’es lives.
“I cant seem to understand why people still die at the hands of Alshabaab daily yet there is a very expensive operation going on in the same forest where the militants hide after killing people.Whats happening?The Linda Boni operation has been here for over two years, we need to see changes in as far as the security of this county is concerned or else we reshuffle you guys,”said Marwa.
Marwa cited the recent deaths of four men at Silini and Bobo villages by suspected Alshabaab militants last Wednesday and said they would have been prevented only if the police had acted on the information given to them by locals who reported having spotted suspicious persons in their villages before the killings took place.
He said it was wrong for police to ignore any potential threat whenever they are tipped by locals as it could result in untold misery,
Marwa has also asked for the investigations into the conduct of all officers conducting the Linda Boni operation and said majority were lazy and incapable of doing their work.
“The government is investing heavily into the Linda Boni operation and that’s why there is need to see results.Many officers who are conducting the operation are lax and that’s why there is need to find out who isn’t doing their work and pull them out.Such laxity is making the war on Alshabaab in the Boni forest tricky and complicated than it should be,”Said Marwa.
“The Boni enclave has sufficient resources to secure Kenyans right from the border of Holugho,Kulbiyow,Ghalmagala down to Kiunga.How then do the Alshabaab find their way past our forces who are supposed to be in all these places,get into villages,kill people and go back?We have enough airplanes and I wonder why most of them are just lying in the bases instead of being put out there to patrol this places.People must be responsible to this course,”he added.
He said his office wouldn’t tolerate any irresponsible officers and called upon all security bosses in Lamu to wake up to their mandate and ensure security is restored in Lamu.
“I understand with the recent killings of four people,locals had made prior reports which weren’t acted upon.I want to know why and who was responsible.I want a report in my office on the matter so that action can be taken against whoever is concerned,”said Marwa.
