Kenya’s anti-terrorism strategy must evolve to target all facets of this war

Terrorism is now considered to be one of the greatest threats to peace and security globally. With this reality, many governments are faced with a pressing need to enact counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency measures to protect their homelands.

In Kenya, we are just now coming alive to a new reality of our national life in the form of heightened vulnerability and risk of attacks.

Our responses have exposed our lack of preparedness. It is unacceptable that we do not yet have an elaborate and effective framework for implementing basic and contemporary counter-terrorism strategies.

We must first understand the nature of the war on terrorism. The enemy is amorphous, unpredictable, insurgent, and often from within. So, to be effective, we need to understand Al-Shabaab’s source, motivation, methods of preparation, and changing tactics.

The most effective method for countering terrorism that is currently being used by advanced nations is an all-inclusive approach referred to by theorists and analysts as counter-insurgency as opposed to mere counter-terrorism.

Counter-insurgency is an all-encompassing modus operandi that entails military, police, political, economic, psychological, and civic actions. It includes empowering local communities, gaining their trust, winning legitimacy, and incorporating them into anti-terrorism efforts.

Counter-insurgency also entails denying local recruits into terrorists groups the support of local communities while at the same time attacking them with brute police and military force.

Other components of counter-insurgency include de-radicalisation and counter-radicalisation, which include working with Muslim clerics to identify theological institutions that teach fundamentalist ideologies and likely hotbeds where extremism is brewed and initiating mentoring projects and seminars for professional, para-professional, and technical trades for students and otherwise hopeless youths who are likely to get radicalised.

COMMUNITY LEADERS

Increased engagement, where community leaders target and mentor individuals who are presumably susceptible to terrorism recruitment, is another important facet of the strategy.

Efforts also include meetings to foster understanding and peace between people of different faiths.

Political and social understanding of any grievances that might be solved is also crucial in pursuing this strategy. The counter-insurgency approach is a long-term initiative requiring patience and consistency and aims to prevent insurgency and resolve some of the reasons behind terrorist attacks.

Counter-insurgency also includes removing impediments to the war on terrorism, the main one being corruption. Other obstacles are tribalism, laws, and culture. The link between corruption and terrorism in Kenya is evident as criminal elements have infiltrate Kenya by buying identification documents.

The government should move quickly to choke sprouting local terrorist cells by cutting off their funding. Freezing bank accounts of individuals and organisations suspected of funding terrorism, which the Kenyan government has done, is a good start, but it is not enough. Financial tracking should also be enhanced.

The government should also develop a watch list of suspected terrorists and terrorist organisations.

Most importantly, good intelligence is at the heart of a good counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency strategy. There should be improved intelligence protocols for collection, flow, sharing, and implementation of action based on intelligence collected.

It is disquieting that we seem not to have a clear strategy for collecting, sharing, and acting on intelligence. Collection and action on intelligence is so basic and fundamental that if we do not get it right, we will forever be playing catch-up in the war against terrorism.

Lastly, every possible solution and arsenal should be considered and a practical and concise strategy developed. Such a strategy should emphasise both proactive and reactionary measures, with a focus on preventing attacks. The gloves should be off as we pursue a no-nonsense all-out war against terrorism.

Ms Njogu is an attorney and counsellor at law, Maryland, USA. [email protected]. Twitter @ReginaNjoguesq