The Roles of the Local Leaders and the Community Groups in Fostering the Citizen Collaboration in Counter-Terrorism Efforts in Lamu County, Kenya

Kenyans have been living in perpetual fear of where and when the next terror attack might strike. But the roles of the local leaders and the community groups has been lauded as an approach that ensures success of programmes and counter-terrorism operations can be one of them. Therefore, the study undertook to examine the role of local leaders and community groups in fostering citizen collaboration in counter-terrorism efforts. The Social Contract and Community Policing Theories, were used. The study utilized a mixed-methods research design, conducted in Lamu County with a target population of adult residents. A multistage sampling approach was employed, starting by clustering the study area into regions. Purposive sampling was then used to select the specific constituencies and wards, after which the population was divided into three homogeneous clusters: village elders and nyumba kumi elders were purposively sampled, the general public of the local community members were systematically random sampled. Using questionnaires and interview guides, the researcher collected data for this study. Thematic analysis was applied to the qualitative data and the descriptive statistics, including means and averages, were used for the quantitative data, which was also visualized in pie charts, tables and graphs. The findings of the study were: local leaders are crucial for counter-terrorism, providing intelligence and building partnerships. The study concluded that, the community-based strategies, led by local leaders, are indispensable for counter-terrorism. The study recommended that, to sustain security, formally recognize and strengthen the roles of local leaders and community groups, a structured training program for Village Elders and Nyumba Kumi Leaders is recommended to improve intelligence handling skills.