Terror attacks and radicalisation: Are they about insecurity or something else?

The blast scene at Eastleigh Section 2, Nairobi March 31, 2014. Photo: Charles Kamau/NATION  

In Summary

• Only 22.8 per cent of Kenyans have secondary education and above, meaning the chance of achieving the above aspirations is just a dream to three-quarters of these young people.
• Those who assume that extremist violence is a passing cloud are mistaken. It is not.

By K. Sivi-Njonjo
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Reading about the terrorist attack on a Likoni church and watching TV footage on youth radicalisation, a tendency to blame the problem of violent extremism entirely on joblessness and poverty is evident.

Lack of, or inadequate provision of basic amenities like education and health, have also been blamed for insecurity.

The solution proposed by policymakers is to increase vigilance by the security apparatus, declare a ‘shoot-to-kill’ order on suspected terrorists, and round up all refugees back to refugee camps among other measures.

While these may be seen as necessary stop-gap measures to prevent innocent Kenyans dying, they also come across as being reactionary, short-term and unsustainable solutions that are unlikely to tackle the problem in the long run or comprehensively.

One of the major factors or pre-conditions of radicalisation in general is the gap that exists between young people’s expectations and their reality.

In searching for meaning, self-actualisation and fulfilment, young people construct worldviews from abstract ideals portrayed in movies or the Internet.

In places where opportunities exist, youth are driven to work hard. In other situations, however, the discrepancy between what they believe they are rightfully entitled to and what they obtain often makes them feel dispossessed.

The inability to obtain what is felt to be rightfully theirs triggers feelings of frustration that ultimately facilitate the emergence of collective violence.

FEELINGS OF DISPOSESSION

In a survey conducted among Kenyans aged between seven and 19 years, which sought to find out young people’s aspirations and dreams, 40 per cent indicated they wanted to be professionals, 33 per cent wanted to be rich, 13 per cent to be famous, 12 per cent to be in leadership and 8 per cent wanted to be heroes.

In reality, the probability of achieving these aspirations, among other factors, increases with higher levels of education.

Only 22.8 per cent of Kenyans have secondary education and above, meaning, the chance of achieving the above aspirations is just a dream to three-quarters of these young people.

Abject poverty or extremely difficult circumstances bring about feelings of dispossession.

Feelings of dispossession, therefore, subjectively occur irrespective of whether basic needs are met. They may result from comparing oneself or group with others.

Feelings of disillusionment and eventual rebellion from formal institutions can come when people in authority contravene their promises and behave contrary to the expected norms, leading youth to seek solutions outside formal channels. Frustration that follows increases the likelihood of social unrest and revolutionary exploits.


One of the most forgotten elements is the passage of time which is crucial in cementing this frustration. The more there is a demonstration of lack of political will to address these concerns, the more entrenched the issues become.

NOT A PASSING CLOUD
Radical groups tailor their recruitment strategies to exploit youth vulnerabilities, making it a very symbiotic relationship. These extremist groups give the young validation, a sense of belonging, purpose, responsibility and often financial compensation.

Unless we deal with the causes of radicalisation like relative dispossession, identity politics as well as feelings of humiliation; and unless we deal with the catalysts that accelerate radicalisation like corruption, police brutality, political, economic and social injustices, we are basically wasting our time.


We must recognise that this is not a problem that began yesterday, but one that has deteriorated over time. Historical injustices will not quietly go away.
There is simply no more room for the unequal or inconsistent application of the rule of law or impunity among politically connected elites.

All must realise that youth will not continue being manipulated or exploited for selfish ends. Those who assume that extremist violence is a passing cloud are mistaken. It is not.
And so, as we mourn the death of the innocent worshippers in Likoni, and of the Monday explosions in Eastleigh, Nairobi, the best way to honour their memory is not to pursue quick fixes that divert our attention until the next attack, but to seek long-term solutions to the problem of youth radicalisation.

Ms Sivi-Njonjo is an independent consultant in socio-economic policy research, devolution and foresight.