This archive report was first published on 27 June 2021.
Published on June 27, 2021, Kenyan authorities have reported a significant decline in the number of young people joining the Somali Islamist militant group al-Shabab. At least 350 young people who joined the group have surrendered this year and will be reintegrated into society.
Security agencies in Kenya's coast region attribute the decline to the effectiveness of counterterrorism measures. The measures have reduced the number of youth crossing into Somalia to fight for the group.
Kenyan counterterrorism officials are currently in the county of Mombasa to sensitize the community against violent extremism and assist former al-Shabab fighters. Their efforts target six counties directly affected by the terror group's activities along the Kenya-Somalia border.
Canon Harun Rashid, chief officer in charge of preventing violent extremism at Kenya's National Counter Terrorism Center, stated that the center is processing over 300 former al-Shabab fighters who are seeking to re-enter society. Rashid emphasized that the reintegration process involves filtering the individuals, understanding the crimes they have committed, and the legal system's assessment of prosecutable areas.
For more than a decade, al-Shabab has exploited local and historical grievances to recruit Kenyan young people into its violent activities. However, increased security operations and awareness campaigns have reduced youth recruitment. A few thousand Kenyan youths are still fighting alongside al-Shabab in Somalia.
Richard Tuta, a Nairobi-based security analyst, noted that Kenyans who joined al-Shabab could return to Kenya if the government accepted them. Some of these young people were initially drawn to the group due to economic incentives, such as the promise of a source of income in dollars.
Munira Hamisi, head of youth affairs and community empowerment in the county of Mombasa, announced that her county is ready to provide economic opportunities to more than 100 youths who return from Somalia. The county has a revolving fund with an economic stimulus package for young people, including waived youth-led business licenses and soft loans for businesses owned by young people and women.
