By Issa Hussein - Reporter
Kenya, 1 July 2026 - A new European Union-funded programme aimed at strengthening peace, preventing violent extremism and improving livelihoods has been launched in Marsabit County, with the government saying the initiative will complement ongoing security efforts in one of Kenya's most volatile regions.
The Kenya Community Engagement and Resilience Programme (KCERP), funded through the European Union, the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF) and Act Change Transform (ACT), will be implemented by Strategies for Northern Development (SND) in partnership with the Agency for Peace and Inclusive Development (APID).
The nine-month programme will initially cover Marsabit Central, Moyale, North Horr and Laisamis sub-counties, bringing together security agencies, local administrators, religious leaders, elders, women, youth and civil society organisations to address the drivers of violent extremism through community engagement, awareness campaigns and economic empowerment.
Launching the programme in Marsabit Town on Wednesday, County Commissioner Stanley Kamande said strengthening collaboration between communities and security agencies remains key to tackling insecurity and preventing radicalisation.
"The programme focuses on preventing violent extremism through community engagement, increasing public awareness and strengthening relationships between communities and security agencies while creating economic opportunities for vulnerable women and youth," Kamande said.
He urged residents to continue working closely with security agencies by reporting suspicious individuals and criminal activities, assuring them that all information would be treated confidentially.
Kamande said the government remains committed to eliminating security threats exploited by criminal and extremist groups, noting that peace and security require collective responsibility from all stakeholders.
Project Officer at Strategies for Northern Development, Wago Boru, said unemployment, poverty and limited economic opportunities have left many young people vulnerable to recruitment by extremist organisations.
He identified illegal arms trafficking, drug and substance abuse, cross-border crime and insecurity as some of the persistent challenges facing Marsabit County.
"Many young people complete school without finding meaningful employment. Some become vulnerable to recruitment by extremist groups such as Al-Shabaab because they are promised financial rewards," Boru said.
As part of the initiative, 10 Digital Peace Ambassadors—five from Marsabit Central and five from Moyale—will be trained to use social media platforms, including TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and X, to counter extremist propaganda, combat misinformation, discourage hate speech and promote peaceful coexistence.
The programme will also support 60 beneficiaries, comprising 30 women and 30 youth, through income-generating projects.
Selected youth groups will receive brick-making machines alongside entrepreneurship and digital marketing training, while women will be equipped with beehives and trained in modern beekeeping, honey processing and marketing to improve household incomes.
Much of the practical training will be conducted at the Badasa Centre of Excellence, established under a World Food Programme ecosystem restoration project.
Agency for Peace and Inclusive Development officer Ahmed Billow Osman said the programme builds on previous GCERF-supported peacebuilding initiatives and seeks to strengthen trust between communities and security agencies.
"We want to create safe spaces where communities and security agencies can rebuild trust, improve communication and strengthen positive relationships for effective peacebuilding," Osman said.
Peace activist Shamsia Abdullahi welcomed the initiative, saying empowering women and unemployed youth would reduce vulnerability to crime, drug abuse and extremist recruitment while strengthening community resilience.
She also called on Kenyans to embrace dialogue and tolerance ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Marsabit has for years grappled with insecurity arising from inter-communal conflicts, cattle rustling, illegal firearms, cross-border crime and the threat of violent extremism due to its proximity to Ethiopia. The county has also experienced sporadic attacks linked to criminal gangs operating along the Kenya-Ethiopia border.
In recent years, the government has intensified multi-agency security operations, expanded community policing initiatives and strengthened peace committees to address insecurity in northern Kenya. Development partners have complemented these efforts by investing in livelihood programmes, youth empowerment, cross-border peace initiatives and campaigns aimed at preventing radicalisation.
Officials said the Kenya Community Engagement and Resilience Programme is expected to reinforce these interventions by promoting dialogue, strengthening community resilience and creating economic opportunities that reduce the factors driving violent extremism.
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