Renowned political analyst Mutahi Ngunyi criticized President Uhuru Kenyatta's 2019 decision to deploy Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) following a workers' strike, warning of parallels to the 1982 military coup. Ngunyi, known for accurately predicting Kenyatta's 2013 presidential victory, argued that using military personnel to resolve civilian disputes risks destabilizing the nation.
Speaking on his YouTube channel The 5th Estate, Ngunyi stated, "Sending KDF to take over operations at JKIA after the workers' strike was excessive. You only unleash soldiers to save people from external attacks and floods. Soldiers must never be allowed outside the barracks to solve civilian problems."
"This is a lesson we learnt from the military coup of 1982. Replacing striking workers at the airport with soldiers is courting long-term disaster, that is a record of history," Ngunyi said.
The analyst emphasized that such actions undermine military credibility and create command chain vulnerabilities. His comments coincided with ongoing debates about security forces' roles in civilian matters, with the 2019 warning referencing historical precedents and the 2012 copyright notice in the original source material.
