Friday, August 22, 2014

MILITARY TAKES OVER SECURITY, IMMIGRATION

Friday, August 22, 2014 - 00:00 -- BY OLIVER MATHENGE
NIS DIRECTOR GENERAL: Maj Gen Kameru
NIS DIRECTOR GENERAL: Maj Gen Kameru
IMMIGRATION: Maj Gen (Rtd) Kihalangwa
IMMIGRATION: Maj Gen (Rtd) Kihalangwa
MILLITARY: Gen Julius Karangi
MILLITARY: Gen Julius Karangi
PRESIDENT Uhuru Kenyatta has placed three major national security institutions in the hands of top military officers.
With General Julius Karangi as the Chief of the Defence Forces, Major General Philip Wachira Kameru as the new NIS Director and Major General (Rtd) Gordon Kihalangwa as the Director of Immigration, the President has ensured that military officers sit in the top security decision-making organ, the National Security Advisory Council (NSAC).
In the latest announcement, President Kenyatta has proposed to Parliament the immediate former Director of Military Intelligence, Maj Gen Kameru, as the new Director General of Intelligence to replace Maj Gen (Rtd) Michael Gichangi, who retired last week.
Kameru’s nomination has already been transmitted to Parliament for vetting and approval.
Speaker Justin Muturi told MPs that he received Kameru's name on Wednesday evening from State House, with the request that Parliament approves his nomination.
"In this regard Honourable Members, this nomination, including the curriculum vitae of the nominee, now stands referred to the Departmental Committee on Defence and Foreign Relations for consideration in accordance with the provisions of the National Intelligence Service Act, 2012, and the Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) Act, 2011, and report to the House," Muturi said.
Kameru, who is married with two children, has served in the military for 36 years and has been decorated with 11 medals.
"Kameru is dedicated, disciplined and his loyalty and integrity are beyond reproach. He has a wealth of experience in the security services and can offer service to the nation in any top-level appointment," the CV from State House read.
People who have worked closely with Kameru describe him as possessing "brilliant listening skills" and being meticulous in his work. They said that as Military Intelligence chief, Kameru was known to counter-check information and act fast on it.
Although little-known in the military, Kameru is said to have masterminded Kenya’s success in Somalia, where the Kenya Defence Forces are battling terror group al Shabaab.
“He is a very intelligent and hard-working man who has risen through the ranks,” said a fellow General.
Gichangi quit his job last week on personal grounds, in a communication that was made public by State House last Thursday.
However, Gichangi, whose term was to come to an end in 2016, is reported to have been preparing one of his eight deputies to succeed him.
The eight directors are Francis Kirinya Mwongo (Internal), Joseph Kamau (Operations), Chris Mburu (External), Moses Tenai (Counterintelligence), Alexander Muteshi (Analysis and Production), Major Kosen (ICT), Samuel Otieno (Administration) and Major Mativo (National Intelligence Academy).
President Uhuru is taking a cue from his predecessor Mwai Kibaki, who appointed Major General Mohammed Hussein Ali to head the police after the public lost confidence in the then police leadership.
Ali went on to change the Kenya Police Force’s management, including construction of better officers' houses and police stations countrywide. He also dealt a firm blow to the Mungiki sect that had launched a reign of terror in various parts of Kenya.
Muturi told Parliament yesterday that he had also received a list of 24 nominated ambassadors. MPs will vet the envoys before they are confirmed.
In the list presented by Uhuru, three are currently serving in missions abroad, while four who had served as ambassadors before are currently public officers serving in Nairobi.
Two others, Sam Ongeri and Chirau Mwakwere, were once ambassadors before they moved into politics.
The Speaker referred the names of all the nominees to the Departmental Committee on Defence and Foreign Relations for consideration.
Last week we reported that six MPS had travelled to the United States for the US-Africa Summit without the permission of the Speaker. The MPs included Nominated MP Johnson Sakaja who has now informed us that he had permission from the clerk to travel in his capacity as TNA chairman. He has also informed that he was facilitated by his party during the visit.
- See more at: http://www.the-star.co.ke/news/article-185851/military-takes-over-security-immigration#sthash.KaeyJAbS.dpuf

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