• Youth were identified and salvaged through a recently launched five-year programme, Jisra, to counter violence, conflict and campaign for peace.
•The project will cost more than Sh11 million and is ongoing in Mombasa, Kwale and Tana River counties.
Image: SHABAN OMAR
More than 300 young men in Mombasa and 35 from Kwale have been rescued from criminal gangs by the Kenya Community Support Centre.
Kecosce field officer Mwalimu Rama said the youth are from Ng'ombeni, Nyali and Kisauni areas in the two counties.
The areas were the most notorious dens of panga-wielding gangs and radicalised youth.
The youth were identified and salvaged through a recently launched five-year program called Jisra aimed at countering violence, conflict and campaigning for peace.
The project will cost over Sh11 million and is currently ongoing in Mombasa, Kwale and Tana River counties.
Rama said since the youth were recruited into the program, criminal activities have slightly dwindled in the affected areas.
"If you look at Ng'ombeni now there is calm compared to the past, just like in Nyali," he said.
The officer said the youth are currently engaging in businesses activities and some joined the boda boda industry for decent earnings.
"Killing youth is not a solution to eradicate criminal activities. If the government, religious leaders, parents and organisations can reach out and talk to them, we can curb insecurity.Mwalimu Rama
Rama said the project is all about preventing, rescuing and creating resilience among youth to fight violence and campaign for peace.
The officer said after recruiting the youth, they do a follow-up and engage them in peace campaign forums that have proved to be effective.
He said they are focusing on bringing various government security agencies, religious leaders and youth together to help combat insecurity.
Rama said they are looking forward to addressing insecurity cases via peaceful methods of conflict resolutions rather than extra-judicial killings and enforced human disappearances.
"Killing youth is not a solution to eradicate criminal activities. If the government, religious leaders, parents and organisations can reach out and talk to them, we can curb insecurity,” he said.
At least 100 cases of abductions and extrajudicial killings were last year reported at the Coast by the Human Development Agenda NGO.
Kwale was leading with 62 cases.
The project also seeks to seal cracks and spearhead tolerance between religious leaders who have different ideologies on matters of faith.
It is believed their differences cause division and hatred among religious followers.
Rama said, Kecosce targets to use the clerics as Nyumbi Kumi ambassadors to reduce tension and fight violence.
Rama said they also want to protect the youth from being misused by politicians as the electioneering period nears by identifying possible factors forcing them to engage in crime.
Kenya Muslim National Advisory Council organising Secretary Sheikh Amani Hamisi commended the project, saying it will help promote peace amid tensions created by some political leaders who have started campaigning,
He said it is essential for youth to be guided and equipped with leadership skills that will assist them to join politics and participate in peaceful campaigns instead of becoming perpetrators for corrupted and visionless politicians.
Pastor Geoffrey Wanyoike from NCCK Ukunda said the project will strengthen cohesion between religious leaders and promote national unity.
"Most of the time Christian leaders exclude themselves in addressing the issue of terrorism but now we will work as one to tackle the challenges facing us," he said.
(Edited by V. Graham)