Youth and Organized Criminality in Informal Settlements: the Case of Huruma-mathare Informal Settlements, Nairobi County

Abstract

The persistent increase in the number of organized criminal groups (OCGs) worldwide poses a significant threat to societal cohesion and is therefore a national, regional, and transnational problem that has caught the attention of security experts all over the world. The rate of unemployment is particularly high in Informal settlements making them a hotspot of OCs that include but are not limited to Mungiki. The OCGs engage in drug trafficking, robberies, extortion, firearms, prostitution, among other social vices. The overall study objective is to establish factors that predispose youths in urban Informal settlements and more specifically in Huruma-Mathare Informal settlements to organized criminality. The specific objectives involve establishing the demographic attributes of OCGs members; to examine the relationship between a gang member’s socio-economic status and level of attachment to organized criminality; to identify counter measures that may discourage the formation of organized criminal gangs in Informal Settlements and to assess the relationship between a youth’s level of exposure to an anti-social environment the level of risk of enrollment into an organized crime gang. The study used the social learning theory (SLT), General Strain Theory (GST) and Relative Deprivation Theory. The study used a cross-sectional descriptive research design. The method was adopted since it facilitates the collection of comprehensive research information on multiple variables at a specific point of time. The target population is the universe of elements of interest in the study. The target population comprised of respondents and key informants who were knowledgeable about organized criminality in Huruma-Mathare settlements. The primary respondents targeted were 96 Reformed OCG members that were identified by one of the reformed members that was a friend to one of the police officers in Huruma Police Post that volunteered to bring more numbers to 96 in total. The key informants in the study were randomly picked from each group consisting of 60 respondents that consisted of 4 Religious and Community Members, 5 from Huruma and 6 from Mathare; 11 Police Officers, 3 from Huruma and 8 from Mathare; 5 local Administrators, 3 from Huruma and 2 from Mathare; 3 community policing officials, 10 from Huruma and 7 from Mathare; 17 CBO officials, 4 from Huruma and 5 from Mathare were selected to form the sample of key informants. Therefore, the total number of key informants (KII) in the study was 60 and the primary respondents were 96. The study found that majority of the respondents (73%) agreed that being in a gang creates a sense of belonging; nevertheless 14% disagreed with the statement. While gang members are condemned in the society, they feel proud of being associated by the gang and also develop a feeling of being arrogant. Besides, gang members proudly wear gang symbols, such as tattoos, and use the signs without fear. Hence, joining a gang increases' the youths' feelings of pride and sense of belonging. The study concluded that Youths have a high level of attachment to OCGs due to several factors, such as achieving a sense of belonging, developing long-term friendships, and enforcement of strict rules that ensure their safety. However, the study found that these gangs' brotherhood can be broken through different interventions, such as prayer, counseling, death of some members, or arrest. The study recommends that Furthermore, the government should create new job opportunities in the Juakali informal sector to help the lowly educated youths in the community to make a living, thus discouraging them from enrolling in OCGs as an avenue recognition security and means to a livelihood.