Gunmen alleged to be Al Shabaab militants recently murdered an estimated 147 innocent university students in an early morning raid. This follows the massacre of 28 passengers in a Mandera-Nairobi bound bus and 35 quarry workers in the same region. Kenya’s response in the attacks has done little to build the much needed assurance of security for its citizens.

As a leading economy in the Eastern Africa region, the country’s response has tilted more on political messaging than on efficient tactical solutions to insecurity. In the Garissa University case, the government prioritized to airlift political leaders and not security personnel. It took close to 15 hours to deploy the right security team to tackle the hostage situation. It beats logic that in spite of the assurance of security by the government, the rate of insecurity is skyrocketing.

The war against terror needs the effort of all Kenyans; it calls for a clear and focused leadership. No one should sacrifice the country’s future on the altar of money, populism, political mileage, religion and short term gains. The Kenya government must put intelligent boots on the ground, re-strategize and modernize its tactics. The African Executive sends its condolences to the families, friends and relations of the 147 Kenyans killed in cold blood. We thank Kenyans On Tweeter (KOT) for highlighting the pain of the loss of 147 Kenyans. They are not just a number or mere statistics. These are dreams, loved ones and hope for many wiped out in the hands of brutal murderers. The role of the state is to secure its citizenry, for its only the state that has a monopoly of force.