On this goon menace, there seems to be a general national call:
A)to politicians to stop using goons and misusing the youth; B) to the youth to avoid the disaster that awaits them because they will suffer much more than whatever pennies they get in offering themselves in this harmful trade.
These calls are generally not policy in nature but appeals to the good consciences of the two groups.
Why? Because A) politicians are looking to secure power or to not lose power at whatever cost, and they generally suffer no accountability consequences because of the prevailing environment of impunity.
B) The youth do not do this because they love to do it but because they have no options, means of earning a living, and they generally like easy money like their politicians who have shown that becoming rich only needs you to be immoral and brutal.
Additionally, most youths have already given up on life and are betting on any activity that can give them influence.
In 2008, Youth Agenda published a report which generally quoted young people saying that in Kenya, the only time youth are taken seriously is when they wield violence as a tool. Without violence, they are never taken seriously or involved meaningfully.
CSOs, Religious leaders, professional Assocations and policy makers generally should apply a 4Ps method;
1. Policy measures: all DCIOs, OCSs and NPS County commanders in an area where goons unleash violence on others must file within 24 hours the names of the goon mobilizers, financiers and commanders with the DPP’s office.
If not, such officers will immediately be suspended and eventually be sacked.
KNCHR and IPOA must immediately be required to compel Police officers to implement these measures, oversee and ensure the police do their work, or name the intelligence officers who withheld the intelligence from them. NIS must be brought into this policy squatter.
2. Preventive measures to include identifying violence-prone youths and placing them under a pastor, priest, or Imam of their choice for pastoral guidance and mentorship.
3. Promotive measures to include peace education, life coaching, media influencer campaigns via podcasts, etc. Social media can offer the country so much more than it currently. Teachers and lecturers can offer great value in this regard.
4. Protection measures to protect churches, attendees of rallies and civic meetings to be led by the NPS. Training in this regard is needed.
How do Police in France, in the UK, etc manage demos, protests, rallies, etc even when opposing groups are in town, and how do they curtail goons from wreaking havoc?
The National Police Service must be brought to the center of all the 4P measures.
Generalized calls of ‘we only have one country, do not burn it ‘, ‘Young People please avoid being used by politicians’, and such like calls are good and appropriate but have little impact in the face of the realities of impunity for politicians and the poverty and perversion that young people are exposed to.
Opinion by Cyprian Orina Nyamwamu
Governance and Policy Specialist
Convener of KENYA BORA TUITAKAYO.
2027 Nairobi Gubernatorial Independent Candidate.
