Kenya becomes a domicile for acts of terrorism

Why would one need to talk about Radicalization in Kenya today?

When did our great country started to suffer from insecurity resulting from terrorism threats?

Since October, 14, 2011 when our country deployed security troops to Somalia in pursuit of Al-shabaab, the citizens of this great nation have not had peace. It is now to the attention of the Kenyan Government together with other stakeholders and the civil society organizations to start talking about radicalization that has become today’s most intruding domestic threat to the security of our citizens.

We as citizens, we may start questioning who is involved in radicalization and why but that would not have any meaning if we cannot collaborate with other stakeholders and put the necessary security interventions to curb the alarming rate of terrorism in the country.

Kenya has been the victim of sporadic terrorist attack especially in the recent years not by design but because of Al-shabaab insurgency in the neighboring Somalia. The recent escalation of terrorist attack is believed to be a direct result of a formidable and secretive support network activities facilitated by the Al-shabaab since 2007 up to date especially in Mandera, Carissa and Eastleigh communities.

The emergency of the ICU and the Al-shabaab in 2006 also contributed to radicalization in Kenya that later on in 2011 resulted in Kenya’s suffering from frequent small-scale terrorist attack related to developments in Somalia.

Kenyan youths looks very attractive in terms of the potential that can be absorbed into the current market to grow our economy but unfortunately, another group of terrorist is taking advantage of their economic constraints to recruit them into radical groups in the name of gifts and financial gains to help them accomplish their selfish political ambitions.

According to US Agency for International Development (USAID), an estimated 75 percent of out-of-school Youths are unemployed, which means that the rate of Youth unemployment in the country is extremely high. Would this be the cause of alarming rates of radicalization and other terrorism activities in the country?

When we look at the nature of our country, our citizens are divided based on ethnic and religious backgrounds. Would this influence access to resources among our citizens?What does this mean to the security of our citizens?

“When access to resources is based on ethnic, cultural or religious characteristics, economic conditions further contributes to instability making countries confronted by these factors more vulnerable to acts of terrorism” a report by Institute for security studies in Africa.

This means the government of Kenya and other development partners and Agencies must take proactive measures to provide solutions to high rates of youth unemployment across the country as one of the key interventions to curb acts of terrorism and manage security matters in the country.

Easttleighwood is one of the civil society organizations which promote peace and youth empowerment initiatives through video and film production programs, community outreach and digital media engagement. As an organization, we are working around the globe to tap and promote skills and knowledge that our youths especially out-of-school youths as a strategy to empower them economically.

We also stand firm to educate our youths on the consequences of engaging themselves in acts of crime and terrorism that impacts negatively on their lives.