Multi-Agency Approach and Security Management in West Pokot County, Kenya
Loading...
Date
2025-05
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kenyatta University
Abstract
The North rift region of Kenya which includes West Pokot, has been experiencing incidences of insecurity brought about by the pastoralist militia. This prompted the government to adopt a multi-agency approach to security management. This study therefore examined the relationship between multi-agency approach and security management in West Pokot County, Kenya. The specific objectives of the study were; to establish multi-agency institutions’ involvement in security management in West Pokot County, to establish multi-agency security command structure and coordination of security formations in West Pokot County, to establish the challenges faced by multi-agency security personnel in security management in West Pokot County, and to establish mechanisms of improving multi-agency security management approaches in West Pokot County, Kenya. This study was anchored on systems theory and securitization theory of public security. Descriptive survey design was used. The target population was 1201 personnel in the multi-agency security framework and these included: the Military, National Police Service, National Intelligence Service, Civil Society Organizations, NGOs, Chiefs and assistant chiefs and civilians (village leaders). The sample size of the study comprised of 302 respondents drawn from KDF, NIS, and NPS. The participants from civil society organizations, Chiefs and assistant chiefs, NGOs and civilians constituted the key informants and were 59 in total constituting 30 per cent of the population. Data was collected using questionnaires and key informants interview schedules. The study established the Multiagency institutions’ involvement in security management, multiagency security command structure and coordination of security formations and mechanisms of improving multi-agency security management have a significant and positive effect on security management in West Pokot County, Kenya. However, the study found an inverse relationship between the challenges faced by security personnel under the multiagency team and security management. Overall, from the findings, it was apparent that there are deliberate attempts to make the multiagency teams more effective through coordination and through established one chain of command to avoid disunity. Notwithstanding these efforts, it became apparent that there were a number of challenges that multiagency teams face in their operations. The study recommends that community policing should be brought to the centre of multiagency approaches to security management as this will help in creating synergy between the multiagency security teams and civilians. Secondly, the study recommends that prior to the commencement of the multiagency security operations a thorough assessment of the needs of the security teams in terms of equipment and resources should be done in order to ensure that they are motivated enough to carry out the security operation successfully. Finally, the study recommends that there has to be a regular monitoring and evaluation mechanism of the success and challenges of the multiagency security operation. In addition, future studies should focus on analysing the effectiveness of multiagency approaches to security management in other counties in the North Rift region like Baringo and Samburu Counties to further add on the empirical literature.
Description
A Research Project Submitted To the School of Law, Arts and Social Sciences in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirement for the Award of the Degree of
Master of Security Management and Police Studies of Kenyatta University, May 2025.
Supervisor
John Omboto