For the past few weeks, the Jubilee Government has been conducting what it refers to as security/Anti-Terrorism Operations, concentrated in Nairobi’s Eastleigh estate, and other neighbourhoods where Kenyan Somalis and average African foreigners usually reside.

The SDP has been following these “Security” operations keenly, and is disappointed by the blatantly unconstitutional methods that the government is using in the name of fighting terrorism.

Kenyan Somalis continue to be roughed up, rounded up in Police trucks and transported to various police stations in the country, where many are detained for more than eight days, before being taken to Kasarani National Stadium for screening. This is irrespective of whether those Somalis hold the Kenyan Identity cards, Passports or any other documents that prove their citizenship. The Security Forces are treating every Somali as a terrorist suspect.

All this is in complete contravention of the Kenyan Constitution, especially articles 10, 28, 29, 32, 44, 47, 49 and 50.

The Jubilee Government seems to borrow this brutal script from British colonialism era, where they would administer communal punishment for what they considered crimes committed by some individuals of certain ethnic groups.

Instead of respecting the rights of the Kenyan Somalis, and finding better ways of fighting terrorism and crime, the Jubilee Government has chosen to seek the support of the Somali Political, Religious and Business leaders through cajoling them, intimidating them, and maybe even bribing them to support the inhumane acts against the Kenyan Somalis.

The SDP is also perturbed by the manner in which the Jubilee administration is treating African urban refugees, and immigrants from other African countries, in total disregard to international conventions and norms. This betrays the administration’s true standpoint on Panafricanism and African Unity, which the President himself claimed to espouse in his campaign to save himself from the ICC prosecutions.

The Jubilee Government should know that the success of its anti-terrorism operations will not be measured by the number of Africans that they deport, or the number of immigrants that they take to the refugee camps. The success of their operation will be measured by the arrests and prosecution of actual terrorists, and the reduction and total elimination of acts of terrorism in the country.

The fact that even after weeks of the “security” operation in Eastleigh and its environs, a bomb could still explode in a Police Station, killing innocent Kenyans, just a short distance from Eastleigh not only shows that the strategy that the Security forces are using to combat terrorism is futile, but it also calls for a shakeup at the helm of Kenya’s security heads for carelessness and cluelessness in the fight against terrorism and crime in general.

The fight against terrorism, just like any other crime can only be fought by eradicating corruption, use of intelligence, working with the people, and improving the livelihood of the people through creation of jobs, lowering the cost of living and implementation of article 43 of our constitution.

Unfortunately, the National Intelligence Service is keener on spying on progressive politicians and patriots who dedicate their lives to bettering this country, while letting criminals operate freely.

The SDP demands for the immediate end of the arbitrary searches, arrests, and detentions of Kenyan Somalis and legitimate refugees.

The SDP also demands for a restructuring of the country’s security heads, and the bolstering of Security in all regions of the country, so as to eradicate the acts of terrorism, and reduce crime throughout the country.

We remind President Uhuru Kenyatta that promoting/entrenching hate against the Somalis, and profiling Somalis or any other people is not only illegal, but is also counterproductive in fighting crime.

We also remind him that the future will hold him personally responsible for the crimes that his government is committing today in the name of security operations.

Indeed, article 6 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court provides Genocide to include “causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of an ethnic group, in whole or in part (with an intention to destroy it).”

We ask all Kenyans to defend the rights of every other Kenyan (and foreigner) because that is the right thing to do. The fact that some Somali leaders are supporting this inhuman campaign does not justify the silence of Kenyans from other political actors, civil society organisations, and other communities in general.

“First they came for the Communists, and I did not speak out-Because I was not a Communist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out-Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out-Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me--and there was no one left to speak for me.”

Martin Neimoller (1892-1984)

Benedict Wachira

Secretary General

Social Democratic Party of Kenya

24th April 2014