Residents of Nandi County have been urged to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities to security agencies to help prevent terrorist attacks and radicalization.
Nandi Central Deputy County Commissioner Elizabeth Atemi said members of the public were the first line of defense in the fight against terrorism and should adopt a “see something, say something” approach.
Speaking while officially opening a workshop on the development of a County Action Plan on Counter-Terrorism in Kapsabet town, Atemi, who represented the County Commissioner Wilberforce Kilonzo, said security agencies could not effectively combat terrorism without the active participation of communities.
“You as a patriotic citizen, you as a resident of Nandi County when you see something, say something. Don’t remain silent,” she said.
She urged residents to remain conscious of their surroundings and use the Nyumba Kumi model to identify and report unusual activities without profiling or unnecessary interference with other people’s lives.
Atemi cited parked vehicles that remain in one place for unusually long periods, strangers making inquiries about security arrangements, and individuals photographing security cameras as some of the activities that should raise concern.
She recalled an incident in Kakamega where a member of the public raised the alarm after noticing an individual photographing CCTV cameras at a shopping mall, enabling security agencies to intervene.
She also urged communities to report suspicious financial transactions, possible terrorist returnees from Somalia, and radical preaching that could indicate attempts to recruit or radicalize young people. “Be alert; when you see something, say something. Better we are said to be oversensitive than to be unconscious,” she said.
The administrator said terrorist groups, including Al-Shabaab, had evolved their methods of operation and increasingly relied on local facilitation networks, technology, and covert online activities to evade detection.
She warned that terrorists could target anyone regardless of age, gender, social status, religion, or ethnicity, with soft targets such as markets, public transport, schools, churches, and shopping centers particularly vulnerable.
Critical infrastructure, including water facilities and hospitals, could also be targeted to cause widespread disruption and casualties, she said.
Atemi said counter-terrorism efforts should therefore focus not only on responding to attacks but also on prevention, early warning, and strengthening trust between communities and security agencies.
She identified youth unemployment, substance abuse, and domestic and family conflicts as some of the vulnerabilities that could expose young people to radicalization and recruitment.
The DCC revealed that unemployed youth facing financial hardships could easily be attracted by promises of money and other incentives offered by extremist recruiters.
She welcomed government initiatives aimed at improving youth livelihoods, including the Nyota project, saying sustainable economic opportunities could help shield young people from extremist recruitment.
Atemi further cautioned that abuse of illicit brews, other forms of alcohol, and bhang could impair young people’s judgment and make them vulnerable to manipulation.
She further explained that hostile or violent family environments could also push vulnerable individuals into seeking acceptance and support outside their homes, creating opportunities for extremist recruiters.
Atemi further urged community leaders, including village elders, chiefs, and other local administrators, to strengthen networks for information sharing while maintaining public trust.
She said the fight against terrorism required a whole-of-society approach in which ordinary citizens, religious leaders, health workers, security agencies, and other stakeholders worked together. “An alert community is a safe community,” she said.
She noted that Kenya’s experience with major terrorist attacks, including the 1998 US Embassy bombing in Nairobi, the Kikambala attack in Mombasa, the Garissa University attack, and the DusitD2 attack, had demonstrated the devastating impact of terrorism and the need for sustained vigilance.
The DCC said the security sector had also learned valuable lessons from the attacks, particularly the importance of community intelligence and early intervention. “We cannot win the war against terrorism by force alone. We need the eyes and ears of every citizen,” she said.
Atemi challenged participants at the workshop to develop an actionable counter-terrorism plan that reflected Nandi’s unique security and social environment and one that could be implemented through coordinated action by local stakeholders.
The DCC called on participants to use the deliberations to develop practical measures that would make Nandi less attractive to terrorist recruiters.
The workshop convened by the National Counter Terrorism Centre brought together stakeholders to develop a locally owned County Action Plan, aimed at strengthening prevention, early warning, community resilience, and coordinated response to terrorism and violent extremism.
By Geoffrey Satia
