Browsing by Author "Murerwa, Humphrey"

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    Assessing Citizen Engagement in Enhancing Counter-Terrorism Operations in Lamu County, Kenya
    (Kenyatta University, 2025-11) Murerwa, Humphrey
    Kenyans have been living in perpetual fear of where and when the next terror attack might strike. But citizen engagement has been lauded as an approach that ensures success of programmes and counter-terrorism operations can be one of them. Therefore, the study undertook to assess citizen engagement in enhancing the counter-terrorism operations in Lamu county, Kenya. The objectives utilised were: to examine the role of local leaders and community groups in fostering citizen collaboration in counter-terrorism efforts, to assess community awareness levels regarding counter-terrorism policies and initiatives, to evaluate the communication channels used between citizens and security agencies for counter-terrorism information sharing. The Social Contract and Community Policing Theories, were used. The study utilized a mixed-methods research design, conducted in Lamu County with a target population of adult residents. A multistage sampling approach was employed, starting by clustering the study area into regions. Purposive sampling was then used to select the specific constituencies and wards, after which the population was divided into three homogeneous clusters: village elders and nyumba kumi elders were purposively sampled, the general public of the local community members were systematically random sampled. Using questionnaires and interview guides, the researcher collected data for this study. Thematic analysis was applied to the qualitative data and the descriptive statistics, including means and averages, were used for the quantitative data, which was also visualized in pie charts, tables and graphs. The findings of the study were: local leaders are crucial for counter-terrorism, providing intelligence and building partnerships, the nyumba kumi initiative, a grassroots neighbourhood watch, is the top counter-terrorism program, bridging the intelligence gap, security barazas are key forums that build trust and cooperation between citizens and police, a lack of training for local leaders compromises security and highlights the need for capacity-building and that multiple communication channels like the chiefs, elders, informal networks and religious leaders form a trust-based security network. The study concluded that, the community-based strategies, led by local leaders, are indispensable for counter-terrorism, building security through trust and collaboration, despite the success of Nyumba Kumi and Security Barazas, a lack of training for community leaders limits their full potential and that Lamu's counter-terrorism success depends on a diverse, trust-based network of communication channels where the community co-produces safety. The study recommended that, to sustain security, formally recognize and strengthen the roles of local leaders and community groups, a structured training program for Village Elders and Nyumba Kumi Leaders is recommended to improve intelligence handling skills and that security agencies should integrate diverse communication channels into a "network of networks" to ensure intelligence flow and reinforce the community's partnership.