Assessment of the Effectiveness of Counter-Terrorism Strategies in Mitigating Terrorism in Garissa County, Kenya

2025-01-09T09:44:21+00:00

This research aimed to examine the effectiveness of counter-terrorism strategies in mitigating terrorism among Garissa County residents. The study targeted residents, chiefs, national police officers, and women groups who have been in the Garissa sub-county which is close to Garissa University College where a terror attack occurred in 2015. A sample size of 399 was obtained from 163,914 residents in the Garissa sub-county. The survey utilized random and purposive sampling to select the study participants. Data was collected using questionnaires, scheduled interviews, and focus group discussions. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics and presented in means, percentages, and standard deviations. Qualitative data from the interviews and Focus Group Discussions was tape-recorded analyzed qualitatively, and presented in narratives. The study found that counter-terrorism mitigation strategies namely law enforcement, Nyumba-Kumi practices (Ten Households), and community policing work only to a moderate extent. However, the study found that intelligence-led policing is an effective method of curbing terrorism hence counter-terrorism measures can be based upon it. The study proves its value to several stakeholders such as the government, Kenya police, residents, and future researchers, by recommending how to improve counter-terrorism mitigation strategies and consequently reduce terrorist attacks leading to improved quality of life. The study particularly recommends the government focus on intelligence-led community policing, to improve information flow and sharing, create research platforms that check for vulnerability, and commit to improving security-related technology.

Journal of International Relations Security and Economic Studies

Assessment of the Effectiveness of Counter-Terrorism Strategies in Mitigating Terrorism in Garissa County, Kenya