Examining the Use of Force by Police as a Driving Factor to Youth Radicalisation and Recruitment in Kenya

The purpose of this study was to examine the use of force by police as a driving factor towards youth radicalization in Eastleigh area, Nairobi County, Kenya. This is due to previous accusations that the Kenya police has used excessive force to prevent and respond to terrorism. While such force may help to immediately suppress the situation, it often contributes to further frustration, anger and resistance in the longer-term. This includes an unintended effect of further youth radicalisation and subsequent recruitment. The stringent security measures put by security agencies is often not well-thought: a case in point is the “Operation Usalama Watch” which led to polarization between the youth and the police. By focusing on police use of force as a counter-terrorism measure, this study research responds to a changing discourse in terrorism studies. The research method employed was qualitative. The primary data collection methods applied was structured and semi-structured interviews which included questionnaires, observation, Key Informant Interviews (KII) and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs). The population target was youths, families that have been affected, human rights defenders and state and non-state actors. The primary data was complimented by the secondary data and the findings analysed through content, pattern and comparative analysis. The study analysed the relationship between police officers and youths in Eastleigh to establish their (youth) participation in policing, as provided for in Article 244(e) of the Kenyan Constitution which obliges the National Police Service to foster and promote relationships with the broader society in order to prevent and respond to crime and more specifically, to youth radicalization and recruitment. The research concludes with recommendations to be considered to prevent and respond to youth to youth radicalization and recruitment in Eastleigh.