RP-School of Security, Diplomacy and Peace Studies

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Browsing RP-School of Security, Diplomacy and Peace Studies by Author "Elmi, Abdi Rashid"

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    Devolved Governance and Implications on National Security: Exploring the Role of Clan Elites in the North Eastern Region, Kenya
    (JAIS, 2024-01) Elmi, Abdi Rashid; Sirera, Anne Merecia; Handa, Okumu Stephen
    The purpose of this article is to examine devolved governance units in Kenya and Implications on National Security, using the role of clan elites in the North Eastern Region as a focus for ilustration The period of study was on the devolution period of 2013 to 2022. The contention of the article is that in North-Eastern region, Kenya, devolution was operationalized in an environment of historical inter and intra clan rivalry. In this setting, the citizenry had unbalanced power as encapsulated in the clans they belong to. This brings into question whether devolved governance may yield the expected benefits in such environments of potential uneven power. It was therefore critical to evaluate the outcomes of devolution in the context of clannism amid elitism in north-eastern region and its attendant implications on Kenya’s national security. Using a mixed method approach, the study employed a household survey, key informant interviews, and a review of relevant documents to gather data. A total of 932 participants from Wajir, Mandera, and Garissa Counties took part in the study which was conducted in May and December 2022. The findings indicated potential capture of local governments by elites, with the monetization of politics and the entrenchment of clan-based politics, nepotism and cronyism playing a key role with significant implications for security. The results further showed that, elites use hegemonic approach to whip clannism to their support to the detriment of security in the region. The study recommended that, the County Governments in the North Eastern region should adopt laws and regulations that will permit equity and inclusion in leadership roles that are representative of clan diversity. The study also recommended that national institutions such as IEBC and National Cohesion and Integration Commission [NCIC] should fully implement their mandate to ensure diversity representation in governance. To maintain peaceful interclan coexistence and hence national security, it was recommended that county governments in the North Eastern region should implement more public goods initiatives and public participation.