#NancyBaraza and Our Ignorant Opinions

I always have an issue with anybody who has operated within the civic society being given power to govern us. This is because from the civic society to the real deal, they always either get drunk with power or tend to out do the former occupiers of the seats with impunity.

Nancy Baraza, Kenya’s Deputy Chief Justice, was involved in a gun drama at the country’s premier shopping mall, Village Market. The Deputy CJ, is reported to have been walking alone into the shopping mall and as customary in many places around the country, security screening is a must. In all establishments, female guards screen screen female attendants while male guards screen the male attendants.

Asked to be screened, the Deputy CJ, walks casually past the guards at the entrance prompting the female guard, Rebecca Kerubo, to follow her to wherever she was going. CCTV footage shows the guard talking to the Deputy CJ and she just go ahead to a pharmacy inside to buy drugs.

The Deputy CJ comes back, stops briefly at the screening desk (maybe asking them “Do You Know Who I am?”) then walks back to her car. She immediately reappears with a gun on hand pointing towards the guard. The guards is seen kneeling down begging for mercy at around 6.18pm on the CCTV footage.

I shared the story on Twitter this morning and the whole social media community was so surprised that even when they had hope in the CJ and his Deputy not following the Attorney General in betraying them, it seems that impunity is all over.

The Deputy CJ later sent out the following statement;

Nancy Baraza statement on Gun Drama Incident

What I find funny is the arrogance and insensitivity in the statement. First she is not denying even one single aspect of the newspaper reports and again she is admitting that she was apprehensive because of threats of violence which have been directed at her.

What threat of violence? Did she report the threats to the police? So the Village Market guards must have been sent to kill her? Why was she not walking with her security detail? And for her own safety was it not great to lay low? Would it not have been more wise for her to go through security like everybody else so that nobody would notice?

And then someone argues that such leaders should be given IDs. IDs will never make you behave well. When you see leaders humble and submissive, you love them more. Leaders who use thorax to get their way will never be considered great by anyone. You don’t force people to love you at gun point. Another foolish argument by some radio presenter is that the security detail is to be blamed. Security detail was off duty and only her driver who was busy looking for parking was around. If she could do that alone, what about when the security detail was around? She would have just run over every single person. And security detail will never police your behaviour.

In VIP close protection for those of us who went through such in the field, you need not fight when you are the target of the security perimeter. You need to be submissive and not launch offensives. Nancy Baraza was clearly launching offensives at the Village Market guards. She was not defending herself against any aggression. She was alienating herself and making herself  very prime target of any threat.

We need better thought-out apology Nancy. This one don’t wash.

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