Socio- Economic Factors That Influence Extreme Radicalization in East Africa: a Case Study of Nairobi, Kenya

Abstract

Terrorism is a global phenomenon brought about by myriad factors which differ from continent to continent and country to country. Due to emerging networks of terrorists using advanced technology, they find their ways into the African Continent, thereafter spreading their wings to Kenya through Somalia. The study investigated the socio economic factors that influence extreme radicalization in Kenya, a case study of Nairobi. It found out that, the most susceptible groups to radicalization were youths aged between ten (10) and twenty five (25) years. It further established that economic deprivation such as lack of employment, marginalization and exclusion of natural resources was a major factor to radicalization. There is no overarching theory to theorize counter- radicalization, but this study used the relative deprivation theory to explain the nexus between the economic deprivation and the radicalization aspects. Through qualitative research and analysis of data from various academic scholars, journals, publications and other academic works, the study investigated the strategies and approaches used by the Kenyan government in countering radicalization and their implication to the youths. The study explored counter-radicalization and deradicalization strategies in order to device ways of preventing violent and radical extremists from luring youths into radicalization. The analysis of the study found out that, the strategy was not being utilized to contain the vice especially in Kenya. The study further explored radicalization in Eastleigh Estate in Nairobi, Kenya bearing in mind that, Nairobi has high population of Kenyan Somalis who are harboured as refugees and registered by United National High commission for Refugees (UNHCR) as urban refugees. The study also examined, the roles played by other institution and stakeholders in counter- radicalization and de-radicalization. These institutions include Police, Judiciary, Intelligence agency and Religious leaders. Lastly, the study utilized relative deprivation as a theory used in arriving at the above findings. The study recommends that collective response needs to be enhanced to combat both domestic and international radicalization of susceptible youths into terrorism, as the government invest more on under-cover intelligence led means to detect and deter violent extremists to actualize their activities.