The Enemy Within And The Danger Drones Pose For Kenyans If Used By The Wrong Hands

Soko Directory Team

2 years ago

Maya Angelou in her book, ‘All God’s Children Need Traveling Shoes…’ said that the ache for home lives in all of us. The safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned. The need to have a home that is secure and peaceful. This is the dream, hope, and desire that is eluding so many Kenyans in the Northern Parts of the country in places like Lamu and the Northern parts of the Rift Valley. Insecurity shadows the region like dark ominous clouds that never cease raining.

Sun Tzu in the The Art of War said, “If your enemy is secure at all points, be prepared for him. If he is in superior strength, evade him. If your opponent is temperamental, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant. If he is taking his ease, give him no rest. If his forces are united, separate them. If sovereign and subject are in accord, put a division between them. Attack him where he is unprepared, and appear where you are not expected .” But what happens when the enemy is within? Is it part of your family and part of your workmates and close friends? How do you tackle such an enemy?

I have always believed that the good we do to secure ourselves is precarious and uncertain until it is secured for all of us and incorporated into our common life. We cannot talk of peace and security in our homes in Webuye or Busia whilst our brothers and sisters and relatives and friends in places like Lamu, Mandera, Garissa, and Pokot have no peace and have no idea when peace will return when the enemy is within. We cannot bury our heads in the sand just because where we live and stay is calm and secure. Sooner than later we will suffer the same fate as our brothers and sisters in these areas are undergoing.

Ronald Reagan once said that a nation that cannot control its borders is not a nation. This puts the sovereignty of Kenya into doubt by not being able to secure her borders from enemies known from within and without. I believe Franklin D. Roosevelt captured it well when he said that the nation must defend its borders; it must keep out not only those who would come to do it harm but also those who would come merely to do it wrong.

The Kenyan government needs to remember the words of Andrew Jackson when he said that the government must leave commerce to its capital and credit as well as all other branches of business, protecting all in their legal pursuits, and granting exclusive privileges to none. The insecurity we are experiencing has not only taken our lives away but our ability to do commerce and to move our labor across every part of the country with ease.

As we discuss the issue of Alshaab and the increasing insecurity in the country, am reminded of some news I have been reading online and seeing on TV about one Zakariya Kamal Sufi Abashiekh and the words of Lou Barletta come to mind that borders are the dividing lines between success and failure, between civilization and chaos, between life and death.

Zakariya Kamal Sufi Abashiekh is a Kenyan man who was arrested in April 2023 on suspicion of importing weapons and explosives to Somalia for the Al Shabaab terrorist group. He was released on bail in May 2023 after spending over one month in police custody. My interest is in something that was part of the alleged weapons that the gentleman was accused of, the issue of drones.

Abashiekh is a businessman who owns a shipping company in Mombasa. He is said to have bought the military equipment in China and shipped them in three containers to Mogadishu. One of the containers was recovered, but the whereabouts of the other two are unknown. Drones were part of the merchandise and it’s alleged that they were used for surveillance in Lamu and Northern parts of Kenya. Am very concerned about the drones bit because as an entrepreneur, drones have so much benefit to the business community, especially young people in curating content, and hence, their being tied to this issue is something that should concern us. One bad apple will spoil the opportunities for all of us.

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Who is Zakariya Kamal Sufi Abashiekh? What does he do? What is his relationship with China (if any) and has the Chinese embassy responded to these issues? How did he get the authority to import the drones? Which line ministry permitted him? Is he working alone or are there more people? Who is he working with? What was the agenda with the drones? When was he released and under what terms? When you think of the safety of Kenyans, these questions are too many, and no one to answer them.

We cannot go about our lives when we are not secure within our borders because of such issues where lives are being lost every day. This case has put a negative and dark spotlight on drones, necessitating a serious conversation with every Kenyan on the need for legislation to control and ensure the safe usage of drones.

Zakariya Kamal Sufi Abashiekh is facing several charges under the Prevention of Terrorism Act, including belonging to a terrorist group and providing property for the commission of terrorist acts. He has denied the charges and is currently out on bail. This should allow us to fully discuss the issue of our safety, collectively because, the enemy within is harder to see and spot and call out than the enemy without. But my question is, what is the government doing? Are they stuck on Raila that they cannot see the death of innocent citizens every day? The case against Abashiekh is still ongoing. If he is convicted, he could face a long prison sentence. But given the charges and the national security equation, why is he out on bail? What do we know about him?

He is a Kenyan citizen of Somali origin.
He is married and has two children.
He is a graduate of the University of Nairobi with a degree in business administration.
He is a member of the Mombasa Chamber of Commerce.
He is a regular worshipper at a local mosque.

The arrest of Abashiekh has raised concerns about the extent of Al Shabaab’s reach in Kenya. The group has been active in Somalia for many years and has carried out several terrorist attacks in Kenya. The Kenyan government has vowed to crack down on Al Shabaab and its supporters. But is the government doing enough? Were the drones used to survey key areas for Al Shabaab to attack? Do we have any assurances that we are safe? The case against Abashiekh is a test of the Kenyan government’s commitment to fighting terrorism. If Abashiekh is convicted, it will send a strong message to other potential terrorists that they will be brought to justice.

Drones, also known as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), have become increasingly popular in recent years due to their versatility and ease of use. My concern, however, in the wrong hands, drones can pose a significant threat to national security. Drones can be used for malicious purposes such as espionage, smuggling, and even as vehicles for weapons.

In addition, drones can be used to disrupt airspace and cause damage to aircraft. The use of drones by terrorists and other non-state actors has become a growing concern for many countries around the world. The potential for drones to be used in attacks against critical infrastructure such as power plants, water treatment facilities, and communication networks is also a significant concern.

As a result, many countries have implemented strict regulations on the use of drones to prevent them from falling into the wrong hands. This is why the case of Zakariya Kamal Sufi Abashiekh is of great concern and interest because it has put the issue of drones on the map and no one is seriously discussing this. What is the government planning to do about this?