Nyumba Kumi Initiative and National Security in Garissa County, Kenya
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Date
2025-11
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Kenyatta University
Abstract
Despite the rolling out of Community Policing Initiative in Kenya, some regions such as North Eastern Kenya and more specifically Garissa County continue to suffer periodic terrorist attacks from the Al Shabaab militant group. It is against this light that this study sought to examine how Nyumba Kumi composition, training and information gathering affect National Security in Garissa County. This study was guided by three theories; stakeholder theory, liberal peace theory and social bond theory. A descriptive research design was employed to gather relevant data from respondents in Garissa Township. The study’s target population was 1299 respondents. These include police officers, administrative officers (DCCs, ACCs Chiefs and Assistant Chiefs), religious leaders and civilians serving in Community Policing Committees. Purposive sampling was employed to select knowledgeable informants such DCCs, ACCs Assistant Chiefs and Chiefs. The researcher employed stratified sampling techniques to select 20% of the study population from police officers, religious leaders, and Community Policing Committee members. Data collection involved both interview schedules and structured questionnaires. Additionally, secondary research sources such as government reports and online materials were utilized. Qualitative data was subjected to thematic analysis to uncover patterns and themes. Quantitative data was analyzed using SPSS software version 31, focusing on descriptive statistics to summarize and present findings, including frequencies, means, and percentages. Pearson correlation analysis was used to assess the relationships among the independent variables. The findings reveal a moderate and statistically significant positive correlation (0.355, p=0.006) between the composition of the Community Policing Committee (CPC) and the state of national security in Garissa County, indicating that improvements in CPC composition enhance national security. Similarly, there exist a moderate and statistically significant positive correlation (0.378, p=0.011) between community security training and national security, highlighting the importance of training in strengthening security outcomes. Additionally, a weak to moderate but statistically significant positive correlation (0.287, p=0.034) exists between information gathering and dissemination by the CPC and national security, underscoring the value of grassroots intelligence in security management. The study concludes that Nyumba Kumi groups composition is the strongest in strengthening national security, followed by security training of Nyumba Kumi while intelligence gathering is the weakest. The study recommends clearly defined roles for Nyumba Kumi members, alongside localized and culturally sensitive training programs tailored to the region's socio-demographic dynamics. Enhancing members' technical competence in surveillance and communication, promoting intergenerational dialogue, and strengthening trust-based collaboration with formal security actors are highly recommended to strengthen intelligence gathering. To ensure adaptability to evolving threats, the establishment of robust monitoring and evaluation frameworks is essential.
Description
A Research Project Submitted to the School of Law, Arts and Social Sciences in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Award of Master’s Degree in Public Policy and Administration of Kenyatta University. November, 2025
Supervisor
Felix Kiruthu