Monday, November 7, 2011

Democratic gains made may be reversed by these Gestapo tactics



By Anyang’ Nyong’o
When I used to tell my children stories regarding what used to happen to some of us during the Moi era because we opposed that regime they simply could not believe it. But when the elections of 2007 were rigged and chaos ensued, seeing the security forces shooting ordinary citizens like animals, my children were grateful some of us survived the brutality of the secret police then called the Special Branch to witness this very ugly period in the history of our country.
The naked killing of people was traumatising, whether among citizens themselves as in Kiambaa in Eldoret and in Naivasha, or by the security forces against the people, as was in Kibera and Kisumu. With the birth of the Coalition Government we all prayed not to see Kenya go through such ugly times again. Our Government is charged with this task.
It is the responsibility of the State to maintain law and order. Indeed, that is why the Ministry of Internal Security. This ministry is complemented by an array of other organisations, which function quite often autonomously. Chief among them is the National Security Intelligence Service. Maintenance of law and order means the State security agents must themselves also behave legally and constitutionally.
For quite some time now, I have been receiving titbits of gossip from within Government cycles that I am not regarded by "the powers that be" as a loyal Cabinet minister. Some people have gone further to tell me that as long as I am the Minister in charge of Medical Services this ministry "will go nowhere". Both the Ministry and myself will not be accorded just and fair treatment by the State.
I dismissed all the gossip with the contempt I thought they deserve. In my "Weberian" mind, I could not see how any rational human being could punish a Government ministry, and subsequently the people of Kenya, simply because he does not like or because he disagrees politically with the person at the top. But now a number of incidences have occurred over the last few weeks which make me wonder whether some people within our Government aren’t actually trying to turn the clock backwards on the democratic gains we have made and destabilise Kenya once more.
Some time this week; an officer from my private office went to get mail from our post box at City Square Post Office. He caught another man actually removing letters from the box with a genuine key. When he took the man to the Post Office security agents, the Central Police officers immediately intervened and the case was referred there.
Without any doubt, it turned out that the man who was getting letters illegally from our box is actually an agent of the NSIS.
In this day and age, it makes very little sense to me why the NSIS would want to read my letters if they want to get any information on who I am corresponding with. People do not correspond much through letters these days; they do so by email.
That notwithstanding, there is even a much more sinister reason the NSIS would want to get to my letters. And this is purely to do with the Gestapo tactics of dealing with the people the security agents regard as "enemies" in such circumstances.
The Gestapo, by the way, were the German internal security police as organised under the Nazi regime, which was known for its terrorist methods against those suspected of treason or questionable loyalty.
I would not be surprised if the fellow tampering with our letters did not have the intention of opening them and then closing them up again with a bomb sticker. On opening the letter the bomb explodes and the deed is done. That is Gestapo tactics for you.
In the meantime the secret agents will be busy "brewing enemies" for the intended victim so that, when the deed is done, it can easily be blamed on "his enemies". That’s Gestapo tactics for you.
In the world we live in, it is no good keeping quiet about these things. I have seen just too many signs of late; I would be a fool to keep them to myself. I was once told when being tortured at Nyayo House "we can even arrange for a lorry to run over you when you are jogging in the morning". And you know who the "we" are; Nyayo did not go away with them. They are still with us, the new Constitution notwithstanding.
The Reverend Timothy Njoya talks about being "road accidented". Let me add yet another one to our Gestapo vocabulary: "letter bombed".
In the final analysis, this is all the panic about the Kibaki succession.
Those for maintaining the status quo are scared by those of us who have always fought for democracy and social justice. Whether you like it or not, that history cannot be changed. And we ourselves are too old and too principled to back track and join these conservatives in their game.
It is really sad that some people are contemplating physical elimination of leaders like us as an option. I find it absolutely reprehensible. I would appeal to all leaders to give the Constitution and democracy a chance. There will be room for everybody in a democratic Kenya. But a Kenya forced down the people’s throat by Gestapo tactics will be difficult to nurture. Please avoid that misadventure.
—The writer is Minister for Medical Services
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