Adoption of Community Security Initiatives against Protracted Insecurity in Laikipia North, Kenya

This article interrogates the underlying factors that cause communities residing in areas affected by communal conflicts in Laikipia North, Kenya, to embrace community security initiatives as a way of addressing protracted insecurity. In the context of peripheral territories such as Laikipia North, security as a right is contested due to factors such as protraction of insecurity, civilian militarization, and overall absence of the state as a security provider. Critical to the study is the understanding that the state as a political entity is impacted by a myriad of geo-political, security and socio-economic forces. These geo-political, security and socio-economic forces may compromise the functionality of the state as far as fulfilling its mandate to the citizens is concerned. In this regard, the adoption of community security initiatives raises fundamental questions as to whether the state has failed to deliver on its mandate of providing security, given that Kenya is a functioning state. This phenomenological study aimed at examining the underlying forces that inform internal security experiences among communities in communal conflict regions. Specifically, the study explored the post-2010 factors in relation to state of (in)security in Laikipia County. The study used qualitative approach in which data was collected using FGDs, interviews and observation checklist. Data was analyzed thematically in line with the objectives of the study. Key Words: Community Protection Initiatives, Insecurity, Protracted, Violence DOI: 10.7176/RHSS/11-18-07 Publication date:September 30th 202

Effects of Stakeholders‟ Participation in the InterEthnic Conflicts and Economic Growth in Nyando, Muhoroni and Tinderet Sub-Counties

The impact of ethnic conflicts to economic growth has been of great concerns by many Nations globally. Africa is the most affected continent in regard to conflict due to many nations within the continent experiencing numerous conflicts either within themselves or across their borders. Further, inter-ethnic conflict cost the Continent a tune of $ 120 billion, specifically affecting the agricultural sector subjecting over 198,000,000 people to starvation and food insecurity. Government effort in addressing the issue has been in vain as the number of deaths continued to rise tremendously from an estimate of 7, 9 and 13 people in 2012, 2014 and 2016 respectively. Further, massive destruction on property since 2012 has increased the rate of poverty, illiteracy, insecurity and communicable diseases. This has raised the concerns about the government’s ability in mitigating the vice. Previous studies in Kenya have focused on relationships between inter-ethnic conflicts, power and sharing of government resources. However, little research has been done on inter-ethnic conflicts with stability, security, mobility and morbidity.The main objective was to determine stakeholders’ participation in the inter-ethnic conflicts on economic growth in Nyando, Muhoroni and Tinderet sub-counties. Conflict theory as propounded by Karl Marx was adopted. Correlation survey design and a population of 220 were used. It was a census study with response rateat 75.7%. The results indicates that there is a positive significant relationship between inter-ethnic conflicts and economic growth after controlling for the effect of stakeholder participation (r=.701, p=.000). The study further indicates that stakeholder participation is correlated with economic growth (R=.330) accounts for 10.9% change in economic growth (R2=.109), a value that is significant, (F(1, 218)=46.091, p=.000). Finally, the net effect of inter-ethnic conflicts, which is the center of interest in the study, was obtained by subtracting the R2 value of stakeholder participation from the total R2 value of both variables to obtain an R2change value of 0.439, implying that after control of stakeholder participation, inter-ethnic conflicts accounted for 43.9% change in economic growth. The study recommends that all stakeholders ranging from the national government, the lands commission, the community leaders/elders, and the British government which colonized Kenya be engaged in finding a lasting solution to land issues. Besides these, the National Cohesion and Integration body should cascade its structures down to local councils to counter incitements, hate speech, and ethnicity. The national government should demobilize, rehabilitate, and reintegrate all existing and known militia groups. The structures responsible for justice be made more efficient to ensure justice is realized among the victims of inter-ethnic conflicts at same time parliament enact a legislation that will see to it that politicians, once elected, are transferable so as to encourage integration. Lastly, the members of the community should be sensitized on the effects of outdated cultural practices

EFFECTS OF INTER-ETHNIC CONFLICTS AND ECONOMIC GROWTH IN NYANDO, MUHORONI AND TINDERET SUB-COUNTIES

Inter-ethnic conflicts impact negatively on the economic growth. In Africa, it has cost the Continent a tune of $ 120 billion, specifically affecting the agricultural sector subjecting over 198,000,000 people to starvation and food insecurity. Government effort in addressing the issue has been in vain as the number of deaths continued to rise tremendously from an estimate of 7, 9 and 13 people in 2012, 2014 and 2016 respectively. Further, massive destruction on property since 2012 has increased the rate of poverty, illiteracy, insecurity and communicable diseases. This has raised the concerns about the government’s ability in mitigating the vice. Previous studies in Kenya have focused on relationships between inter-ethnic conflicts, power and sharing of government resources. However, little research has been done on interethnic conflicts with stability, security, mobility and morbidity. The objective was to determine the relationship between inter-ethnic conflicts and economic growth in Nyando, Muhoroni and Tinderet sub-counties. Conflict theory as propounded by Karl Marx was adopted. A cross-sectional survey design and a population of 220 were used. It was a census study with response rate at 80.7%. The results revealed that there is significant association between inter-ethnic conflicts and economic growth using Pearson product moment correlation (r=.740, p=.00). Inter-ethnic Conflicts had an effect on economic growth and accounted for 58.1% significant variance in economic growth (R square =.581, F (2, 217) =261.296, p=.000). Finally, the main strategies used for conflict management were peace building activities, resettling clash victims and organizing workshops and seminars for the affected. The study recommends that all stakeholders ranging from the national government, the lands commission, the community leaders/elders, and the British government which colonized Kenya be engaged in finding a lasting solution to land issues. Besides these, the National Cohesion and Integration body should cascade its structures down to local councils to counter incitements, hate speech, and ethnicity. The national government should demobilize, rehabilitate, and reintegrate all existing and known militia groups. The structures responsible for justice be made more efficient to ensure justice is realized among the victims of inter-ethnic conflicts at same time parliament enact a legislation that will see to it that politicians, once elected, are transferable so as to encourage integration. Lastly, the members of the community should be sensitized on the effects of outdated cultural practices