0
0
George Kegoro of the Open Society Foundations has called for more transparency in security operations. In his preliminary remarks at the Pan African Human Rights and Social Justice Conference in Nairobi, Kegoro urged the state to consistently provide information on the various security threats facing the country and to disclose the strategies used to counter these threats. He expressed concern that some security operations have resulted in serious human rights violations, which are often justified as necessary by-products of these operations.
“One of the primary duties of the state is to offer security, but it has not succeeded in doing this,” Kegoro stated. “The question is what can be done in the future. We have seen significant human rights abuses in the name of providing security. They are often justified as a necessary by-product of the provision of security. It doesn’t have to be that way.”
Kegoro emphasized the need for transparency from security leaders, highlighting that while they claim to have addressed security problems, the public deserves more openness. He called for the revelation of the specific security threats faced by the country and how the state is addressing them in a manner that promotes human rights.
He pointed out that significant security threats, such as those posed by Al-Shabaab in the Horn of Africa, remain very real and require a transparent approach in handling them.
Kegoro’s remarks underscore the importance of balancing security measures with the protection of human rights, advocating for a future where transparency in security operations leads to better outcomes for all citizens.
