Explosions: Will probe bear fruit?

As investigators grapple with the identity and possible motive of the people who executed last weekend’s attacks on worshippers at Uhuru Park, the security machinery is again on the spotlight.

This comes at a time leaders have expressed skepticism at the security agencies’ ability to conclusively investigate such incidents.

At least 10 similar incidents have been recorded since mid-last year, but subsequent investigations are routinely inconclusive, raising fears of complicity or incompetence.

As the ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ campaign on the referendum slated for August 4 heat up, doubts persist in both security circles and the public if the truth would ever be unearthed.

The brutal attack on worshippers has reportedly shaken the police force and the Government at a time President Kibaki, Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka, and Prime Minister Raila Odinga are pushing for the passing of the Proposed Constitution at the referendum on August 4.

The attack also came only weeks after Attorney General Amos warned in an interview with The Standard On Saturday that with the illegal insertion of a clause in the Proposed Constitution, Kenyans had not seen the last of the powerful forces against the realisation of a new constitution.

Weapons Trafficking

The death of six people, besides the 104 injured at the religious crusade, which doubled as a campaign platform for groups opposed to the Proposed Constitution, has rekindled debate — and attendant fears — over unchecked weapons trafficking.

At the centre of the row is the role of the National Security Intelligence Service (NSIS) to detect crime.

President Kibaki held a high-level security meeting on Monday that was attended by Kalonzo, Raila, deputy prime ministers Musalia Mudavadi and Uhuru Kenyatta, NSIS director Michael Gichangi, Internal Security Minister, George Saitoti, Police Commissioner Matthew Iteere, Chief of General Staff Maj-Gen Jeremiah Kianga, and the Head of the Civil Service Francis Muthaura.

The history of grenade explosions shows that they take place at a time of crisis or an important political moment. Such was the case last year when two hand grenades were found in a Nakuru-bound matatu. It is instructive that this was at the height of debate on the rehabilitation of the Mau complex.

Bomb Recovered

Two months prior to that, two bombs had exploded in Karatina and Kongowea Mombasa, within days of each other. A day after the Sunday attacks a bomb was recovered at Tangaza Primary School in Isiolo.

Twice last year, the Treasury, which houses the PM office had to be evacuated following bomb scares. In the period, bomb materials were discovered on a Garissa-bound bus just before US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton toured Kenya.

In 2007, one person was killed at the busy Ambassadeur bus stage in Nairobi when a grenade being transported by a man who had just alighted from a Jomo Kenyatta International Airport-bound bus exploded.

Investigations into these incidents did not result in arrests and prosecutions, raising fears that even the ongoing probe into the Sunday attacks might not amount to much.

It was against this backdrop that Imenti Central MP Gitobu Imanyara wanted Parliament on Thursday to demand that investigations be done in public for the sake of transparency.

Citing previous instances, a former top official of the Criminal Investigations Department concedes the probe team on the Uhuru Park explosions may not yield much.

But what would be the motive of the bombers? The officer says the explosions could be a political statement by either camp in the referendum debate.

Sources within the investigation team intimated to our reporters earlier in the week that the detectives were following various leads.

"When JM Kariuki was assassinated in 1975, the State planted bombs in some buildings in Nairobi to divert public outrage," says the security expert, who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.

The former detective also cites grenade explosions in the same year at OTC and Kencom bus stops in Nairobi. The officer says these were the work of the Government to subdue pressure for re-composition of the Jomo Kenyatta regime.

Future Attacks

"Those of us who were in senior positions were advised to look the other side as the State was the engineer of explosions. Why haven’t investigations into who inserted a phrase in the Proposed Constitution resulted in arrests? asks the former crime buster.

The days ahead could be more challenging for the police as the campaigns by the ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ camps intensify. Because of the sheer reason that police are not able to screen people coming to rallies since most of them are held in open grounds, it would be virtually impossible to deter future attacks.

When contacted last night, Police Spokesman Kiraithe said Police Commissioner Matthew Iteere would next week issue a comprehensive statement on security for future rallies.

He, however, hinted that convenors of rallies would be required to demonstrate to the police their ability to handle the crowds they would be expecting.

"They would be required to tell us how many people they are expecting, and give us a list of marshals for the event."

Indications that the Proposed Constitution would come up against stiff resistance first came to light when a provision in the Bill of Rights Act was altered with the insertion of the phrase "national security" at the printing stage. While the ‘No’ camp pressed for the postponement of the referendum, Attorney-General Amos Wako accused NSIS of attempting to sabotage the reform agenda.

Wako shocked the country with revelations that he had been under pressure from the spy agency to illegally insert changes in the Proposed Constitution.

As the nation comes to terms with death and injuries from the Sunday attacks, Imanyara and Gichugu MP Martha Karua drew a direct connection between the attacks and spirited attempts to sabotage the proposed laws, which they said, will change governance and the judicial system if passed at the referendum.