AlShebab: Pain in the Wrong Place

The Nairobi attacks are as cowardly as expected from a terror outfit, even one, devoid of leadership and desperate for international sympathy from increasingly few and demoralized supporters.The decision to provoke Kenya into warpath is an indication of inept [and/or absence of any] agenda on the table.

If the abduction of foreigners in Kenya was for ransom, then pray, we may be dealing with lunatics. How much could possibly be raised from that or its sustainability is a different question.

It can only point to a desperate fundraising approach that relies on killing the goose.

In the immediate, the organization has been suspected of using Kenya as a conduit for cleaning dirty money. At one time Central Bank exclaimed of unaccounted for billions in the Economy.

If this suspicion has any basis, then, Alshebab will find it difficult to fund their logistics.

But the main blow will be the loss of a base they have built for years.

The geopolitical orientation of the outfit is fumbled and without direction. It’s perceived to be Al Qaida inspired, in which case its neighbor, Kenya comes in as a sympathizer of west, the archenemy of Al Qaida.

In its present configuration, it’s more of nuisance to the country.

Kenyan cannot expect to make any headway without partnering with TFG. Americans tried a similar approach in the 1990’s and it turned out to be disastrous.

Commentators have already started to question the military show Kenya has displayed. An indication of preference for more military intelligence than brawn.

Terrorists often chide their opponents by invoking the David- Goliath symbolism, where they try to project themselves as the moral David against the wicked Goliath.

Real tragedy, however, is when the “David” is devoid of any ideology other than inferiority complex that can accompany lack of physical endowment.

Another mistake by the terror outfit is provoking Kenyan Military intelligence and civilian community, who arguably, have access to the most comprehensive insider knowledge of Alshebab than anyone else. The cover is no more.

The Grenade attacks, apparently, targets the ordinary mwananchi making the mwananchi a direct combatant.

Victory, as Police Commissioner pointed out soon after the Monday blasts, is in the hands of Kenyan citizens.

Such approach coupled with genuine goodwill from the populace is a major asset for Kenya.

Expectations are that members and sympathizers of the gang have lost any legitimacy they may have earned or bought in Kenya.

The communities that may have given them the benefit of doubt as well as Officials who may have been receiving fees, for protection or to keep quiet, now know or should know better.

Also important is the role of corruption.

This present situation started a long time ago if you remember the 2009 population Census results being cancelled in areas bordering Somali?

Kenyans would do with investigations into the 2009 Population Census scandal, the discovery of unexplained funds in the Economy and the glaring presence of sympathizers of Alshebab terrorists in the country.

And, to make sure that the country does not make mistakes similar to those of terrorists, all loopholes that led to this situation rectified.