County profiling a step to containing Violent Extremism

Kisumu,

Wednesday October 18, 2023

KNA by Joseph Ouma

There is a need to undertake county profiling on Violent Extremism (VE) as the first step towards containing acts of terrorism in Kenya.

In this light, national and county governments have been asked to tackle underlying factors including; economic, negative social-cultural, and political features that pushed vulnerable individuals especially the youth to Violent Extremism.

Western Regional Police Commander, Kiprono Lang’at supported the views while calling for the review of our Immigration Laws by way of restricting movements of foreigners seeking asylum in Kenya to the respective camps.

Lang’at told a public participation forum convened by the National Counter Terrorism (NCTC) in Kisumu that when citizens and security agencies remained vigilant those targeting the youths will find it hard to enlist them.

He revealed some terrorists’ believed to have originated from Eritrea purported to be headed to South Africa but transited to Mozambique via Air Tanzania are believed to continue terrorizing local residents and visitors creating total confusion. He said no one was safe globally.

His Nyanza counterpart, Manasse Musyoka, having served for 39 years challenged young officers to learn best practices for the veterans if they hope to continue safeguarding our beloved country against Violent Extremism(VE).

Musyoka said the stakeholder engagement forum in Kisumu was the first of six forums lined up countrywide and an important exercise that brought together experts and brand ambassadors set to further sensitize the public.

“Let’s try to fit into our citizen’s expectations. Let us gel in well with them at their level but treat them with dignity”, he emphasized.

Musyoka agreed that extortion, corruption and bribery was very much alive and kicking but in our own small way we must continue positive contribution towards curbing the vice in society.

Nyanza Regional Prisons Commander, Patrick Isaboke said Prisons as necessary institutions help rehabilitate those convicted thus minimizes criminality before they get reintegrated back to society complete with skills for survival.

Isaboke said incarceration helps convicts to think on how to survive through lawful means as opposed to past lives in crime. “Let’s have the courage to identify and help wrongdoers change their lifestyles by adopting legal means of survival”, he added.

The forum which was officially opened by Nyanza Regional Commissioner, Flora Mworoa Tuesday seeks to review the strategic plan used in fighting VE since 2016.

Among factors singled out as pushing learners into VE include; being isolated, feeling excluded, having no purpose, low self-esteem, their aspirations are unmet, anger or frustration, a sense of injustice and confusion about life or the world.

Other factors also associated with VE include; individual backgrounds and motivations; collective grievances and victimization stemming from domination, oppression, subjugation or foreign intervention; distortion and misuse of beliefs, political ideologies, ethnic and cultural differences as well as leadership and social networks.

Financial instability, mental health needs as well as social factors such as (victimization, stigmatization, or marginalization) as among factors that have been discussed broadly as linked to radicalization.

Children are also at risk of radicalization due to; low self-esteem, victims of cyberbullying or just discrimination and so easy targets of extremists who convince them that they can be part of something special only to be brainwashed and cut off from friends and family.

Courtesy; KNA