Counties can help solve security problems

Mandera Governor Ali Roba (centre) and County Commissioner Alex ole Nkoyo (left) chat during a security meeting in Mandera Town on Tuesday August 5, 2014. PHOTO LUCAS BARASA  NATION

In Summary

• Consequently, county governance is inextricably intertwined with the national functions of security management and governance.
• There are several initiatives that demonstrate the potential for county governments to play a key role in resolving conflicts and peace promotion.
• Moreover, the police approach to security remains repressive, with little attention to confidence-building.

By MUTUMA RUTERE AND PATRICK MUTAHI

The claim by Mandera Governor Ali Roba that he had warned of an impending attack by Al-Shabaab militants before last month’s massacre of 28 bus passengers has once again brought to the fore the role of county governments in the management of security. It is time for innovative solutions, especially those taking advantage of devolution.

While the Constitution stipulates that management of security is a function of the national government, experience has shown that county governments have vital functions and can offer solutions that impact upon the drivers of insecurity such as unemployment, inequality, and dispute over land.

Consequently, county governance is inextricably intertwined with the national functions of security management and governance.

Even in the absence of an explicit constitutional provision, in practice, security is emerging as a concurrent function, with both the national and county governments co-financing security activities.

Nevertheless there are challenges that need to be addressed for mutual collaboration and support between national and county governments in the management of security.

For one, the overlapping roles, tensions, and mistrust between various security players in counties need to be resolved since they have led to a security gap in some instances. Secondly, the county policing authorities (CPA) need to be activated.

Delays in setting up CPAs have made it difficult for counties to articulate their role in planning for security. Concerns persist that the CPAs and governors could easily be sidelined by the national government as they only have an advisory rather than implementation role.

RESOLVING CONFLICT

There are several initiatives that demonstrate the potential for county governments to play a key role in resolving conflicts and peace promotion. One such initiative is the peace and security development (PSD) network of civil society and faith based groups at the coast which has proved that community policing can be successful in areas where it is grounded on the local needs and has the support of the local leadership, security agencies, and civil society.

The PSD network has successfully worked in partnership with the provincial administration to promote interfaith dialogue and tolerance of diversity.

This work has the potential of generating insights that can be replicated in other parts of the country, for instance, in North Eastern Province, where there have been reports of radicalisation and recruitment of youths into Al-Shabaab. However, this can only happen if there are deliberate structures to facilitate cross-county coordination.

Although devolution was intended to strengthen citizen participation in governance, the structures for facilitating that participation remain weak or are even absent. Moreover, the police approach to security remains repressive, with little attention to confidence-building.

In partnership with local leaders, county governments may be better able to resolve some long-standing conflicts. In contexts of expanding resource extraction, these local partnerships may prove to be critical in preventing conflicts by facilitating inter- and intra-community dispute resolution and strengthening mechanisms for protecting community interests.

Mr Ruteere is Director of the Centre for Human Rights and Policy Studies. Mr Mutahi is a Research Fellow at the institution. (mutahi21@gmail.com.