kenya community support centre (kecosce) to link police and the community wins praise kenya...

EFFORTS TO LINK POLICE AND THE COMMUNITY WINS PRAISE

KENYA COMMUNITY SUPPORT CENTRE (KECOSCE) Issue 1,

JAN.- MARCH 2016

The increased disconnect and poor relations

between the police and the youth is usually cited as one of the reasons why youth are likely lured youths to join radical extremist groups.

In a bid to close that gap, KECOSCE organized youth dialogue forums with a view to increase awareness on the importance of local youth working with the police to maintain peace in their communi-ties.

“The ultimate aim of organizing the activities was to ensure that the community was involved in the maintenance of peace and security in their ar-eas,” Phyllis Muema KECOSCE’s Executive Direc-tor said. KECOSCE partnered with local peace and security stakeholders including the chiefs, the na-tional police service, community policing and other government administrative personnel in Mombasa County.

“We aimed at changing community perceptions and attitudes towards peace and security that was for a long time deemed to be a preserve of the po-lice and by extension the government,” Ms Muema noted. Stakeholders who benefitted from the project lauded the efforts which they said helped both the

police and the youth to see each other differently. “From the forums, we were able to visit the po-

lice in Bamburi and engage in a joint clean up ac-tivity,” said Ali Athman Babu adding that the fo-rums helped thaw the relations between them and the police.

“The engagement was instrumental in the for-mation of networks for sharing information on criminals and gang members that would enable the police to carry out targeted raids rather than the general raids that have constantly degraded the relationship between the two,” Babu pointed out.

The police equally praised the initiative which they said was a first. “Many organizations thrive on driving a wedge between the police and the

community, which contributes to more crime as the community and the police pull in different directions in regard to security matters. However for KECO-SCE to bring the youth and the police together that is a commendable effort,” said Inspector David Muli of the Makupa Police Station.

A total of 24 youth challenges were carried out in all the four sub counties of Mombasa with 1854 youths participating in the activities. 72 local police officers drawn from Kwale and Mombasa Counties were trained on countering violent extremism with a specific view on how to identify violent extremists.

KECOSCE’S VISION: A free, just and democratically governed society that upholds progressive equality

Police officers participate in a clean up activity at the Likoni Police station

KECOSCE Executive Director Phyllis Muema address police officers during a training on countering violent extremism

CARRY KECOSCE WITH YOU EVERYW

ARE, DOW

NLOAD

THE KECOSCE APP HERE https://kecosce.net/adriod.apk


ARE, DOW

NLOAD


Issue 1


Grassroots peace and community polic-

ing units are critical players in peace and secu-rity and their role in addressing the threat of violent extremism and promoting cohesion, peaceful coexistence cannot be gainsaid.

The knowledge base of the above players is key in making them more proactive and aware of security breaches and threats and how to deal with them.

In this regard, KECOSCE or-ganized a work-shop in which peace and secu-rity stakeholders were sensitized on their role in peace and secu-rity in their com-munities.

The work-shop was at-tended by officers from the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) and the national steering committee on peace building and conflict management and graced by the Mombasa County Commissioner Mr. Evans Achoki.

Mr Achoki told participants that security is the foundation on which peace is built and that security everyone’s responsibility. “Security is not a government affair,” he said adding secu-rity stakeholders at the grassroots level ought to be more vigilant in reporting any threats to security.

The National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) representative Mr. Ben Gachichio took participants through a session in which they were introduced to NCTC as an inter-agency organization.

He observed that terrorism is an interna-tional problem that demands that states work together to defeat.

During the workshop, participants were also trained on what they can do to help the police service address issues of insecurity in their areas.

“You can give information to police officers and I can assure you that the information will be treated with utmost confidentiality, said In-

spector Moffat of the Kiem-beni police station. He urged par-ticipants to en-deavor to be proactive, to prevent crimi-nal incidences by being able to interpret un-usual happen-ings around

them. He also said that members can give mate-

rial support such as vehicles to police officers to enable perform their duties better instead of waiting for the one or two police vans which could also be in operation elsewhere.

Participants were also trained on what to do before an attack, during the attack, live shooting/hostage situation and even after an attack.

Sabina Kaugi a participant from Chan-gamwe sub-county said that besides learning about peace, security and the trends of terror-ism the workshop had made her understand the role of the police and the community in maintaining peace and security, cohesion and countering violent extremism.

Grassroots stakeholders urged to be vigilant in report-

Participants pose for a group photograph. The Officer with uniform is Mombasa County Commissioner Evans Achoki.


ARE, DOW

NLOAD

THE KECOSCE APP HERE https://kecosce.net/adriod.apk CARRY KECOSCE W

ITH YOU EVERYWARE, D

OWN

LOAD THE KECOSCE APP HERE https://kecosce.net/adriod.apk


ARE, DOW

NLOAD



ARE, DOW

NLOAD


KECOSCE steps up action to enhance peace among ethnic groups in Tana River

Tana River County has in the past suffered

the consequences of conflict at times with the loss of life and property.

In order to mitigate conflict and counter violent extremism, KECOSCE partnered with SHIRIKI with an aim of strengthening relationships among the different conflicting communities.

The initiative saw the implementation of Tu-shauriane - Let us consult! Project, in the six wards of Tana Delta sub County (Garsen South, Kipini west, Kipini East, Garsen Central, Garsen West and Garsen North) targeting people from the Orma and Pokomo communities as well as minority communi-ties like Malakote ( Wailwana), Sanye and Mun-yoyaya.

“The project sought to promote constructive engagement within and across ethnic lines and en-hance the capacity of local institutions to address conflict and be more responsive to community

needs,” KECOSCE Programme co-ordinator Hassan Kibwana said.

After attending stakeholders meetings held to gain understanding on the program and look for avenues for partnerships, beneficiaries agreed that the project could not have come at a better time.

“There always exists tension and suspicion among the different ethnic groups in Tana River and we hope that this project will help address them,” said Issa Kofa a Pokomo elder adding that the forum had helped him look at the pastor-alists differently.

Progress was made in mobilizing state and non-state actors at the national and county level.

“At the County level, project introductory meet-ings with the Deputy Commissioner, the Sub County Administrator and the directorate for

peace and cohesion were sensitized on the project,” said Mr. Kibwana.

“KECOSCE is now working with chiefs, village elders and ward administrators in mobilizing for and implementing project activities and we hope that by the time the project comes to a close we will have helped the people of Tana river to maintain security and live in peace,” he said.

The initial process was necessary to get a buy-in, and also inform government agencies about the new project to avoid misunderstanding about the goals and objectives of the projects

The project also took into account gender rep-resentation and cultural diversities in the planning and implementation of the project with a view to en-sure inclusivity and also benefits to all the members of the community. We hope this project will help re-build relationship within and among communities in the Delta and building trust and confidence between communities and government agencies.


KECOSCE project Officer Joseph Syanda addresses women participants during one of the

public barazas

“Tushauriane seeks to promote constructive engagement within and across ethnic lines, to en-hance the capacity of local institutions to address conflict and be more responsive to community

needs” Kibwana Hassan, Programmes Co-ordinator KECOSCE


ARE, DOW

NLOAD



ARE, DOW

NLOAD

THE KECOSCE APP HERE https://kecosce.net/adriod.apk CARRY KECOSCE W


OWN


The Tana river peace project; Tu-shauriane provides an opportunity for rebuilding relations and promoting peace and security among the com-munities of the Tana River Delta.

The residents of the Tana delta have in the past bee at risk of conflict that is caused by competition for natural resources and ethnic animos-ity.

The farming communities always claim that the pastoralists don’t re-spect their farms while the pastoralists take it that the farmers deliberately deny them access to water and pasture for their animals.

Owing to the polarized positions there is always a danger of the radical extremists ex-ploiting the positions to recruit sympathizers and also cause insecurity in the area.

For that and many other reasons, the area has experienced a semblance of peace with tension simmering in the background probably waiting for a spark to ignite.

However, KECOSCE, with funding from SCORE is implementing this Tushauriane, (lets consult) project which is enabling the residents of the Tana Delta to meet for the first time in two years since their peace committee was formed.

“The simmering tensions meant that the people could not trust each other and therefore they had nothing in common to share, said KE-COSCE’s Executive Director Phyllis Muema.

“This goes to show the level of animosity among the community members living in the Tana River delta,” she said adding that members did not know that they had more things in com-mon than those that dividend them.

From the first meeting, the peace committee became actively involved and instrumental in creating awareness for a public baraza on peace

and cohesion that was held in Malakoteni -Garsen

Issa Kofa a member of the Project Advisory committee said that their team that comprises of 15 leaders among them women, youth and eld-ers from Pokomo and Orma didn’t think that they could make any meaningful progress.

KECOSCE organized a meeting of some 15 women leaders who were sensitized on their roles in peace building and shared insights of the effects of culture, traditions and their roles in peace building these insights feed inform further project interventions

“We are instrumental in creating awareness on peace and security and are now influencing other leaders on the need for peace building and preventing violent extremism,” She said.

Already 94 community members from Orma, Pokomo and Wailwana Communities have been sensitized on peace and security and alternative dispute resolution.

One of the major achievements of the en-gagements is that the communities now recog-nize women leadership within the DPC and eth-nic leadership structures that are critical in en-hancing peace and security in the area.

Issue 1


Community members keenly listen to KECOSCE programmes Co-ordinator Kibwana Hassan during one of the public barazas.

“Tushauriane” helping to address simmering ten-sions in the Tana Delta CARRY KECOSCE W


OWN



ARE, DOW

NLOAD


Issue 1

Farmers rip big from the sale of Aloe in Kinango


The capitalization of the great potential for

aloe trade in Kinango in Kwale County has been faced with difficult challenges; from the exploitation of farmers by middlemen to the ru-dimentary business skills used by farmers in the trade.

However, these are now things of the past! KECOSCE in partnership with ministry of trade and coop-erative de-velopment for Kwale, have for the last three years worked with com-munities to build eco-nomic re-silience and im-prove trade in the area

In March this year, four aloe co-operative societies were registered in Makamini, Samburu, Chengoni and Mtaa. These location level co-operatives were realized after intensive capacity building by KECOSCE. The management com-mittees of the cooperatives shall undergo man-agement training in April, 2016.

“I must admit that being trained by KECO-SCE was the best thing that ever happened. From the proceeds of the sale of aloe, I have now built houses for myself and my son,” said Halima Mgandi of Chengoni AMU.

She also said that she was able to buy school uniform for her school going children.

Emmanuel Chengo of Silaloni AMU said

that aloe business had totally changed his life and that of his family. Besides building a new house for himself, he had paid school fees for his children and enrolled one of his daughters in college.

“We were sitting on goldmine without our knowledge, but thanks to KECOSCE we are now reaping the benefits of the aloe plant,” Mr. Chengo said.

Farmers who have been en-gaged in the tapping and sale of Aloe have made more than Kshs 4,000,000 from the pro-ceeds of aloe business. The high returns have seen more farmers resort-ing to commer-

cial propagation of aloe as a business venture, and increasing demand for the product, farmers saw the need to scale up efforts and form loca-tion level cooperatives

The project works under the stewardship of the Co-operative officers Kinango. At the mo-ment the co-operatives have between 60 to 100 members drawn from the respective locations with women comprising above 70% of the mem-bership.

“For a long time, we waited for this vessel—referring to newly registered cooperatives– now that it is here we have renewed energy and focus to expand aloe trade in Kinango!”- Gladys Lu-vuno Mwembe the Vice Chairperson Makamini Aloe Farmers Cooperative Society. Limited

Members of the management committee of Makamini Aloe Farmers Cooperative Soci-ety display the registration certificate of their SACCO


ARE, DOW

NLOAD



ARE, DOW

NLOAD


For further details contact Executive Director Malindi/Mombasa Road—Kisimani P.O. Box 42944 — 80100 MOMBASA Email: [email protected], [email protected] Face book KECOSCE MOMBASA

Our Website

www.kecosce.org

KECOSCE

USALAMA WA MSINGI MTAANI:

WEWE NI MACHO YA JAMII, SOTE TWAKU-TEGEMEA

Kaa Macho! Ukisikia, ukiona au ku-shuku lolote la hatari dhidi ya usalama

wako, jirani au nchi.

TOA HABARI KWA NAMBARI ZA WALINDA USALAMA, KAMATI ZA AMANI NA UWIANO, COMMUNITY

POLICING, JIRANI ETC KWA 999, 911,112.

KPN Partners re-energize peace governance efforts

KECOSCE is a member of the Kenya Peace Network. The network comprises of 16 organizations drawn from the different regions of the Coun-try for promoting citizens par-ticipation in governance, peace and conflict manage-ment at the county and na-tional levels.

This year, KPN held its annual conference in Mom-basa. The conference served as a flagship event for a three year program on gov-ernance and peace building in the country and which shall continue throughout the elec-tion period in Kenya. At the conference, participants re-flected on the strategic posi-tioning of KPN in shaping good governance and work-ing together with other state and non state actors to en-sure peaceful elections in 2017. This includes continued

engagement with national commission and institutions such as the NCIC and par-liamentarians on important issues on peace, security and development. In the counties members of the network have continued to engage county governments on accountability and repre-sentation of the minority and marginalized in society. An exciting innovation that KE-COSCE and KPN will seek to promote is Mediation and Alternative Dispute Resolu-tion mechanisms for dealing with conflicts and rebuilding relationships at individual and at communal levels. The network’s partner; Men-seen met en Missie MM briefed members on new partnership strategies for support to KPN members in 2016-2018.

KPN MEMBERS IN MOMBASA IN MARCH 2016

AMANI NA USTAWI


LEONARD AND PAULETTE VAN ROEKEL TALK TO KPN MEMBERS ON ADR


ARE, DOW

NLOAD



ARE, DOW

NLOAD


kenya community support centre (kecosce) to link police and the community wins praise kenya...

Documents