This archive report was first published on 16 September 2021.
Kenya's Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i made a shocking revelation to a parliamentary committee last week, exposing the flawed foundations of the Kenyan nation-state. The minister revealed that Deputy President William Ruto has 257 police officers guarding his official and private residencies, as well as his businesses, with no upper limit.
According to the UN, the recommended national ratio of police officers to citizens is 1:450. In contrast, Kenya has a ratio of 1:600, with some areas experiencing severe police understaffing. Residents in these areas are exposed to daily acts of criminality, including bandit attacks in the Rift Valley, Samburu, and Turkana, as well as terrorist attacks in Mandera and Garissa counties.
Daytime robberies are a common occurrence in Nairobi and Mombasa, with citizens often hiring private security to guard their homes and streets. Nightfall is a time of great anxiety for many Kenyans, who breathe a sigh of relief at dawn that they have lived to see another day.
Assuming President Uhuru Kenyatta has a similar arrangement, it's estimated that upwards of 600 officers are guarding two people. Matiang'i admitted that about 4,000 police officers guard politicians and their properties, highlighting the principle that Kenya exists for the political elite to mismanage and plunder in 'legal' and extralegal ways.
This principle is evident in the extortionist pensions for retired presidents Mwai Kibaki and Daniel Moi, as well as the lavish salaries and allowances for parliamentarians. It's a stark contrast to the struggles of the poor, who are left vulnerable to crime and exploitation.
