Kajiado adopts counter terrorism and violent extremism report

Kajiado County Committee on preventing and countering violent extremism has finalized a detailed report on the measures to curb terrorism, as the government strives to tackle all terrorist’s cells and the Al shabaab militia.
While addressing the media after receiving the report, County Commissioner Joshua Nkanatha noted that with Kajiado being a border County, major efforts should be channeled towards combating extremism so that any threats may be thwarted at an early stage.
“This report is widely detailed, terrorism has got no face, religion or race. It can be anybody and we are at a greater risk because we have several entry points, whereby people can cross from all over and jeopardize our peace. However the report has recommended measures that will guide us on how to move forward with the implementation and as a result we are going to mount impromptu roadblocks and checks as one way of being vigilant as well as sanctioning implementation of the adopted action plan,” Nkanatha said.
The Committee’s chairperson Bishop Henry Omae pledged to traverse the entire County spreading the message of living in harmony and supporting the government in identifying and addressing issues that result in radicalization among members, mostly the youth in the society.
“Unemployment, illiteracy and proximity of Kajiado County to Nairobi among other factors influence the youth to join extremist groups, therefore we are facing risks which should be looked into and recommending best practices to abort such plans by involving all stakeholders, churches, politicians, the Nyumba Kumi initiative and the entire citizenry so that we ensure that we have a secure environment for all of us,” Omae noted.
Mzee Rashid Abdi, a member of the committee appealed to the citizenry to drop the tag that all terrorists are always Muslims, citing that terrorism is not a religious but an ideological warfare.
“Many times, Muslims have been referred to as terrorists but in recent times, during the Dusit attack we all saw that the perpetrators were not Muslims per se because a terrorist can be anybody. This notion is just a fallacy that these terrorist groups want us to believe, but instead we should all corporate with each other from all races, religion to fight against terrorism,” he cautioned.
The committee in general appealed to residents to remain vigilant at all times and to always provide timely information to the respective security entities so that all threats can be thwarted at an early stage.
The journey to design the action plan, adoption and implementation began in February, where the National Intelligence Service initiated a process that all Counties should develop their own reports, specifically addressing ways that terrorism and violent extremism can be thwarted before January 2020.
By Rop Janet/ Albert Lemomo