Community leaders in Marsabit County have been urged to take a leading role in preventing violent extremism through early detection, peace building and closer collaboration with security agencies.
The call was made during a two-day Kenya Community Engagement and Resilience Programme (KCERP) training held at a Marsabit hotel which also brought in youth, women and religious leaders.
Speaking during the training, Strategies for Northern Development (SND) project officer Waqo Boru said the initiative seeks to strengthen community resilience against violent extremism by empowering the youth, women and marginalized groups while promoting trust between communities and security agencies.
The programme is funded by the European Union through the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF) and Act Change Transform (ACT), and is being implemented by SND in partnership with the Agency for Peace and Inclusive Development (APID).
Waqo said the aim is to address the root causes of violent extremism through community-led interventions which promote peaceful coexistence, inclusive development and resilience in order to shield vulnerable individuals from being recruited and radicalized.
Waqo said the local leaders of the target groups were being equipped with knowledge and skills to become ambassadors of peace and security within their communities.
The participants were sensitized on early signs of radicalization, strengthening of family ties, promotion of community dialogue, counselling, peace building efforts and reintegration of individuals at risk of radicalization.
The training also focused on improved relations between law enforcement agents and the public so as to build the much needed trust between the two.
“ We also taught these participants about sharing of information through early warning systems on suspicious activities and characters by closely working with chiefs and police officers and embracing the Nyumba Kumi initiative,” said Waqo, adding that the move would enable village elders to report suspected security threats on time.
It was noted during the forum that unemployment, poverty and lack of economic opportunities had made many young people vulnerable to recruitment by extremist groups through false promises of wealth and better standards of living.
A call was made for communities to protect young people from falling into violent extremism, drug abuse, human trafficking and other unlawful activities by advocating for hard work.
The project officer disclosed that KCERP has a component to economic resilience such as beekeeping and brick-making aimed at providing sustainable livelihoods for youth and women thus reducing their vulnerability to radicalization.
Beyond peace and security, Waqo said the project included development programmes among them WASH, ecosystem restoration, nutrition and child protection in the county and the neighbouring Samburu County.
Over the next nine months, Waqo said KCERP plans to conduct similar awareness sessions in technical and vocational colleges across Marsabit to educate students on the dangers of violent extremism and drug abuse.
Marsabit County Peace Committee Vice Chairman Adan Chukulisa said the two-day training had strengthened the participants’ understanding of the importance of vigilance, unity and peaceful coexistence.
He observed that extremist groups often exploit vulnerable youth with promises of money and improved living standards before recruiting them into criminal activities.
Chukulisa called upon community leaders, parents and the government to closely monitor the welfare and activities of young people with a view to guiding them towards a productive and peaceful life.
He urged parents to take the lead in imparting positive values and teaching children the importance of peace, unity and respect for diversity.
He reminded residents that Marsabit’s proximity to the Ethiopia border requires heightened vigilance and timely reporting of any suspicious activities that could threaten peace.
Reverend Mathayo Wache of the Anglican Church of Kenya challenged parents to take a more active role in shaping their children’s character saying children who receive proper guidance at home were less likely to engage in criminal activities like violent extremism.
“Children require close monitoring on their day-to-day activities especially when out of school for parents to be able to understand their social life aspects and sources of income lest they fall victim of exploitation by criminal groups,” observed reverend Wache.
He thanked Strategies for Northern Development for organizing the training and expressed optimism that the programme would strengthen community efforts to prevent violent extremism and promote lasting peace and security across Marsabit County.
By Sebastian Miriti and Anthony Melly
