Westgate: How Kenya military looted from the dead! The details of the mess that characterized the rescue operation at Westgate Shopping Mall can now be disclosed by your authoritative newspaper, kenyanewsonline.net. So messy was the situation at the Mall that over 70 Kenyans whose life would have been saved died as security agencies fought over the control of the rescue mission. The leadership and management of this newspaper took a lot of soul-searching prior to publishing this article. We are patriotic to our nation. We are ambassadors of peace and messengers of good news. At no time shall we be part of a section of Kenyans playing into the hands of coward terrorists. However, to ensure future accountability and effectiveness by our security agencies in handling the security of all Kenyans we have decide to lay bare some shocking and seriously embarrassing details about peculiar behavior by a section of members of our Defense Forces. The details in this article do not mirror the general state and conduct of all members of Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) but a section of wayward officers who have, willingly and out of untamed greed, deviated from the cardinal principle of a “disciplined force”. Kenya Police under the Office of the National Police Service (NPS) was in-charge of the rescue operation at Westgate Shopping Mall soon after the terrorists attacked and took charge of the Mall. To be precise, Inspector-General (IG) of Police, David Kimaiyo ordered that the paramilitary General Service Unit (GSU) of the Kenya Police dispatch its own Recce Squad, an elite formation of highly-trained Police Officers. Recce Squad is also in-charge of the President’s Security and its officers comprise what is known as Presidential Escort Police Unit. It is located near Ruiru town, in Kiambu County along Thika Superhighway. The Recce Squad battled the heavily-armed terrorists to a corner of a bullet-proofed safe room where some of the attackers eventually hid while others kept look of the hostages. However, the whole plan broke down after the arrival of KDF who demanded that Kenya Police hand-over the entire rescue operation to them. IG Kimaiyo vehemently opposed such a move arguing that instead there ought to be joint efforts by the two security agencies. KDF boss General Julius Karangi would here none of that. He said that if his men withdraw it would be a major blow and a disgrace to them internationally on the backdrop of a heroic mission in dislodging Al Shabab in Kismayu, Somalia. Officers from Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) who had been called to assist Kenya Police categorically declined to join a KDF-led in operation and insisted that rescue operation be left to Recce Squad. Apparently, Recce Squad officers mostly obtain much of their training in Israel. Eventually, KDF stormed Westgate Mall without any briefing from their Police counterparts. On realizing that the Kenya Police were not ready to bulge, KDF came up with a plot to execute Recce Squad Commander Martin Munene. The understanding was that once the Commander is dead, his juniors will surrender and consider the battle to have been lost – this the cardinal philosophy within security agencies. Once the Recce Squad retreated KDF went on a looting spree. They moved from shop to shop, bank to bank, restaurant to restaurant in the name of looking for hostages who had taken cover and terrorists who could have been hiding. At dusk, they introduced a system of switching off power within Westgate on “security grounds. However, we have established that this move was intended to enable looting under the cover of darkness. The soldiers used ambulances to carry out their loot. Many business owners on the first, second and third floors managed to close up their premises during the initial stages of the attack but were surprised to find them broken into and vandalized. Several of them spoke to kenyanewsonline.net and gave shocking accounts of the extent of the looting. The Rado Watch Shop was swept clean. The owner of one of the jewelry shop said he lost all his gold, silver and gemstone collection although his shop had been closed and secured soon after terrorists stormed the building. Signs of attempts to break open abandoned safes using live bullets are evident. A top police officer at police headquarters revealed that a branch of Barclays Bank (Ground Floor) and Millionaires Casino (2nd Floor) located at the Mall have already reported to the Police having lost Ksh2.9 million to KDF looters. Then came the worst of it all. KDF first burned the mattresses from Nakumatt Supermarket to confuse the whole looting episode then went on to blow up the building as a camouflage for the senseless looting. During Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph ole Lenku’s press briefing, General Karangi, sited next to the Minister could be seen and heard whispering to him to blame the billowing smoke from Westgate Mall on terrorists – that the terrorists were burning mattresses to confuse the entire rescue operation. It is believed within Kenya Police top leadership that no less than 70 Kenyans could have been saved if the operation was not messed up by KDF. Most of the hostages were burned once KDF blew up the building while the bodies of others who died are still stuck under the debris of the collapsed floors. Only one terrorist might have died during the agonizing operation. Top police officers believe the terrorists escaped during the ensuing confusion via the underground tunnel that was discovered towards the end of the botched rescue operation. The underground tunnel goes under Nakumatt Ukay building. It is the details of this sad state of affairs that prompted a furious President Uhuru to communicate an imminent reshuffle of his entire Jubilee Government. Powerful Secretary to the Cabinet Francis Kimemia, KDF boss Gen. Julius Karangi, Interior Secretary Joseph ole Lenku, National Intelligence Service (NIS) and Interior PS Mutea Iringo are top among the persons Uhuru has earmarked for sacking. Already, Kimemia’s powers were seriously trimmed on Friday in front of the entire Cabinet as Uhuru unveiled former Treasury PS Joseph Kinyua as his new Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service to among other “coordinate Cabinet Affairs”. The President blames the five for creating a second centre of power away from State House (The Presidency). Apparently, Kinyua’s office will be based in State House same as the President. Today, September, 29, 2013 President Uhuru unveiled Kenya’s foremost Political Scientist as his Special Political Adviser. Ngunyi is famously remembered for having crafted the now familiar “tyranny of numbers” hypothesis in which he gave Uhuru and Ruto a clear command of ethnic numbers which he argued were a guarantee that the duo would occupy State House. Ngunyi had on Wednesday, soon after the end of the siege was announced by President Uhuru, passed a damning verdict on the general handling of Westgate attack. Via tweeter, he stated: Tweet No1: “This is a Machiavellian Moment for Uhuru. Give General Karangi a medal then fire him: No medal for General Gichangi – Fire him and overhaul NIS” Tweet No.2: “Cabinet experiment with ‘greenhorn’ ministers is a disaster. Moving Ole Lenku from Assistant beverages manager to security boss is tragic” – Ole Lenku was a career hotelier and was a manager at State-owned Utalii Hotel prior to his appointment to the Cabinet. Lenku’s long-time friend former Interior Minister Katoo ole Metito (now Government Chief Whip and Loitoktok MP) was instrumental in his appointment to the security docket. Tweet No3: “In sum, it is not early for a cabinet reshuffle. Take Ole Lenku to a soft ministry. Then purge NIS with no mercy. No time for a ‘soft’ state Tweet No.4: “On women Ministers: [Devolution Secretary] Ann Waiguru has [John] Michuki’s spirit: ruthlessly efficient. [Ambassador] Amina Mohamed has presence and brains. [Defense Secretary] Racheal Omamo has red eyes! By Jarso Galgallo on kenyanewsonline.net.
Posted on: Tue, 01 Oct 2013 18:03:09 +0000