1. The document summarizes discussions from a meeting held in Garissa, Kenya to address a recent wave of grenade and IED attacks targeting non-Somalis. 2. Participants expressed concerns that the attacks could escalate inter-ethnic/religious conflict in Kenya and complicate its military operations in Somalia. 3. Causes of insecurity discussed included Kenya's incursion in Somalia provoking retaliatory attacks, involvement of Kenyan youth sympathetic to Al-Shabaab, and lack of trust in the government due to a history of exclusion.

1. Kenya Muslim Youth Alliance (KMYA) in Collaboration
with the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims
(SUPKEM) Peace and Security Stakeholders Forum
December 25, 2011
Almond Resort- Garissa
Report
BACKGROUND CONCERNS
The North-eastern town of Garissa has, in 1. KMYA has noted that if this wave of
the past two months, been hit by a wave attacks against perceived “outsiders” in
of insecurity where several grenade and Garissa is not addressed, it could easily
Improvised Explosive Devise (IED) attacks escalate into a full-blown inter-ethnic inter-
have been targeted at certain social, religious conflict in Kenya.
religious and residential premises including 2. The attacks targeted at perceived
Dadaab Refugee camp which scores of “outsiders” in Garissa are also likely to
people, including security personnel, women complicate Kenya’s military operation in
and children, have been killed or injured. Somalia, especially given the fact that
While security agencies have been quick Garissa itself is a strategic military outpost
to link the attacks with Kenya’s military as far as the war in Somalia is concerned. If
operation in Somalia, several stakeholders not addressed, therefore, it may cause the
believe that there could be more than meets government to employ drastic measures by
the eye. Indeed, the attacks started soon declaring Garissa a security operation and
after Kenya’s incursion into Somali and the probably impose martial law in the region
people targeted are non-Somalis working or like it did during the Shifta war.
those doing business in the region. It is in view of the above concerns
Hence, in the absence of any other that KMYA in collaboration with SUPKEM
explanation, it is correct to conclude that organized the urgent meeting that was
the wave of attacks in Garissa is some kind held during Christmas holidays to discuss
of “revenge” or “protest” by some criminal the security situation in Garissa, find possible
elements within and without the Kenyan solutions and understand roles that can be
Somali community against Kenya’s military played by the community leaders in ensuring
involvement in Somalia. It is, therefore, peace prevails in the area.
against this background that the KMYA
in collaboration with SUPKEM decided to DISCUSSION
use their grassroots leadership structures to
engage religious scholars and Imams, youth • In his welcoming remarks to a well-­
and women leaders and opinion shapers attended meeting, Sheikh Abdullahi Sirat
in constructive dialogue aimed at building of the SUPKEM challenged the participants
linkages with other stakeholders including to be honest to themselves and discuss the
the Provincial Administration (PA) and law issues surrounding the wave of insecurity
enforcement agencies to establish the root with soberness and sincerity.
cause of the problem and seek workable • He underscored the need to restore
solutions. and protect peace in Garissa, pointing

2. Kenya Muslim Youth Alliance (KMYA) in Collaboration with SUPKEM Peace and Security Stakeholders Forum 2
out that there is no excuse whatsoever for blessings by taking them for granted. We
someone or a group of people to create must use the forum provided by KMYA to
instability in Garissa—a town that was reflect upon ourselves and change our
recently voted the safest and most peaceful situation by leaving the bad behaviour
town in Eastern and Central Africa. “We must that has been slowly creeping in our midst
restore and protect the pride of Garissa as and return to the path of peace that Allah
the safest and most peaceful town, and blessed us with,” he said.
that is why all of us must work together,” said • He encouraged Garissa people
Sheikh Sirat. to be true Muslims who preach peaceful
• He conceded that the attacks coexistence among themselves and
targeted at certain people are placing the other people. He said that Islam protects
town on a dangerous trajectory and lauded non-Muslims and the larger community
KMYA for organizing the meeting, which regardless of race, tribe or faith. He also said
provided the best platform for residents that immigrant and refugee communities
to come together and seek solutions from should not be discriminated upon.
among themselves.
Causes of insecurity
Peace in Islam
In the plenary discussion, different factors
• Reiterating the importance of peace, emerged as causes of the insecurity being
Sheikh Mohamed Salat Hire, a local Imam, experienced in North Eastern region.
reminded the local people that peace is
the virtue of Islam and that term “Islam” itself Participants said that Kenya’s incursion
means “peace.” Hence, Sheikh Salat said, to Somalia has aggravated the fragile
every local resident of Garissa who claims to situation in North Eastern as youths from
be a Muslim must first and foremost embrace Somalia used it as an excuse to cross over
peace. into Kenya to carry out retaliatory attacks.
They also said that some Kenyans from the
• He said that Muslims cannot practice region and other parts of the country who
their religion and worship effectively in are sympathetic to the Al-Shabaab are
the absence of peace, and that is why is involved or facilitated the grenade attacks
incumbent upon all Muslims to preach that have rocked the region.
peace in their communities.
And despite denouncing the attacks,
• He lauded the meeting, saying it they also blamed the government’s
was timely and important to not only to the reaction, which they said was reactive
residents of Garissa but the entire region. rather than proactive in dealing with the
insecurity. They said that lack of arrests and
• Sheikh Hire said that it was right to arraignment in court of suspected attackers
report criminals and those causing trouble showed lack of concern by the government
and threatening stability to the authorities hence encouraging more attacks.
so that they can face justice. He cited the
Quranic teachings on striving to do good They also said that the long history of
and eschewing evil, saying that Allah only exclusion has created lack of interest by
changes the situation of people when the local community to cooperate with
they also choose to change it themselves, government in the area. The icy relationship
adding that Allah blesses people with between locals and the government
peace and opportunities then they have the machinery had made it difficult for a bigger
responsibility of ensuring it is maintained. population to volunteer information to
• “Allah has blessed the people of authorities, not because they fear to give
Garissa with peace and a thriving economy, this information, but just because they lack
so we should not play around with these confidence in the government.

3. 3 Kenya Muslim Youth Alliance (KMYA) in Collaboration with SUPKEM Peace and Security Stakeholders Forum
They youth said that they are not involved Specific concerns
in community policing and even in District
Peace Committees (DPC) in the region yet Participants said they would like the
they were the once being blamed for the following specific grievances addressed
insecurity in the area. They blamed the elders to ensure that the community feels part of
and the GoK law enforcement agencies Kenyan government.
and provincial administration for ignoring
them when forming peace committees and 1. They took issue with lack of identification
community policing initiatives, which are cards for Kenyan youths while some
important in undermining criminal networks unscrupulous government officers and
and intelligence gathering. community leaders were giving aliens these
documents. They said corruption by officials
According to the youth, the kind of was sidelining Kenyan youth and those
attacks being carried out in Garissa are benefiting were aliens. They wondered how
undertaken with the sophistication that they could be expected to cooperate with
the elders do not know. In this regard, they a system that corruptly favours aliens at the
wonder how the elders alone can be given expense of local citizens.
the task of running security committees and
expected to deal with criminal activities 2. They felt that the Somali community
executed by people who possess the was being targeted everywhere they are
knowledge and sophistication that the found – not just in Somalia but also in other
elders don’t have. The youth, therefore, parts of Kenya. They cited an incident in
complained that they were not being given Kitui where a number of Somali businessmen
any roles in the area and so they just sit were attacked by the local people on
back and watch as criminal activities are suspicion of being Al-Shabaab operatives.
perpetuated under their noses. In this regard, they said there was need
for the government to tackle the issue of
The youth also admitted that some xenophobia against ethnic Somalis to ensure
young people are being recruited into terror peaceful coexistence.
groups where they feel they are useful and
gain some income. 3. They also lamented over marginalization
and exclusion, saying that government
Divided opinion (clan factors) and had neglected their province and its
pursuit of self-interest among elders were boundaries.
cited as impediments to a united approach
to secure peace in the region. These divisions 4. They also cited language barrier as an
have caused fragmentation in the Garissa impediment to cooperation between the
and the entire North Eastern society such community and government agencies.
that it has compromised the good relations
between residents. 5. The collapse of the community
policing structures has also contributed to
Participants agreed that lack of forums rampant insecurity. Participants said that
and platforms, which bring residents together, there are no proper mechanisms to know
was also a hindrance to securing peace and monitor strangers coming to the area,
because people have no platform to come hence making it difficult for local people
together to formulate ways of engaging to share intelligence information with the
each other on the community’s problems government. In this regard, local people
and how to engage the government. were asked to be on the look out of strangers
in their midst and establish mechanisms
of sharing information about suspicious
characters.

4. Kenya Muslim Youth Alliance (KMYA) in Collaboration with SUPKEM Peace and Security Stakeholders Forum 4
6. Collusion between some locals and 4. Encourage unity amongst different
criminal elements was also cited as a big ethnicities and clans in the region.
concern. Participants conceded that there
was a network of collusion and cover-ups 5. Community leaders should guide the
between some locals, GoK and criminal government truthfully by divorcing self-
elements. In this regard, they called for the interest from public affairs.
exposure and break-up of this network
by establishing a trusted mechanism of 6. The host community, refugees and
information-sharing and encouraging a security officers should be holding regular
culture of reporting criminal elements and dialogue forums to discuss emerging
activities in their midst. Once criminals and issues and find common and acceptable
their accomplices know that they could be solutions.
exposed, they would not dare set base in the
region. They were however concerned that 7. Creating of job opportunities for the
GoK especially security agencies does not youth would ease insecurity in the area.
respond to complains raised by the locals
against rogue officers. They cited an example 8. Government should be more proactive
of rape cases against refugees in Dadaab than reactive in its security strategies. The
and a well-­known human trafficker operating security agencies should abandon the old
locally with impunity. According to one of methods of policing where they met out
the participants, the said person transports collective punishment whenever there is
illegal refugees/immigrants to Nairobi and its an attack in the region because this leaves
environs. a bitter taste in the mouth of the majority
residents who are usually innocent and who
Resolutions of the forum feel harassed by police instead of being
safeguarded.
The participants agreed that the following
would form the way forward towards attaining 9. The government should be proactive
peace. and demonstrate that it is on top of things
by arresting criminals and arraigning them
1. The District Peace Committees and in court in order to show its responsibility in
community policing structures should be re- security matters in the region.
constituted and the youth given significant
roles to play. Nomination of young people 10. The community should endeavour to
and other community leadership structures coexist peacefully with other communities
to these organs should be done in a wherever they are.
transparently.
11. There should be a proper working
2. The GoK should consider redeploying relationship between age groups,
back officers of Somali ethnic community religious and opinion leaders, and elected
in the region to forge and promote good representatives.
relations between locals and law enforcement
agencies, as they understand the language 12. There should be enhanced information
and culture. They cited the example of and communication between community
former Provincial Commissioner Mohamed and government.
Saleh who within a very short time was able
to restore peace in the region. 13. Each of the five locations of Garissa
should form peace committees with a
3. Leaders in the area should embrace mandate of sharing information and
forums in which all community stakeholders discussing peace issues. The committees
would be involved in discussing emanating should at least meet twice per week at the
problems and seeking solutions collectively. moment.

5. 5 Kenya Muslim Youth Alliance (KMYA) in Collaboration with SUPKEM Peace and Security Stakeholders Forum
14. Suspects and alleged criminals in the
custody of authorities should be treated 7.Mohamud Adon- Elder, Garissa
humanely according to the provisions of the community
2010 constitution.
8. Muktar Ibrahim- Elder, Garissa community
15. The current non-performing community
policing apparatus should be disbanded 9. Bare Aden- Youth leader, KMYA Garissa
and peace committees reorganised to
include all community representatives. 10. Musa Mohamed- Youth leader
16. Minority groups should be supported 11. M/s Khatra Iman- KMYA Garissa county
and safeguarded from harassment and official
exclusion from representative organizations
and leadership structures. 12. M/s Zeitun Mohamed- Garissa Post Test
Club (GPTC)
17. There should be concerted effort to
help end the human trafficking that is rife in Word of advice
the area.
In his closing remarks, KMYA chief
18. There should be a total overhaul of executive officer who is also Deputy
security apparatus in the region, as it has Secretary General of Supkem Hassan Ole
become evident that the working relationship Naado urged participants to promote
between the Kenya Police and the Provincial peace because without it, there can be no
Administration is not at its best. development. He reminded the participants
Immediate action plan that the best solutions to the challenges
affecting their region would come from
There was need to organise an urgent among themselves as they are the ones
meeting with the Provincial Administration who understand themselves better.
and the local members of parliament to help
in implementing the resolutions of the forum. “While the insecurity might last for a
A committee was therefore formed to plan short time, its impact may have long-term
the meeting and also work together with effects on the socioeconomic wellbeing of
other County representative committees. the people of this region,” the KMYA chief
The following committee members were said.
nominated through consensus: In this regard, Mr Ole Naado called upon
the people of Garissa to be proactive and
1. Sheikh Ali Gure- Chairman, Garissa get involved in establishing peace and
Mediation Council (GMC) harmony in the area. This move would go a
long way in helping the Somali community
2. Sheikh Hassan Abdullahi-­ SUPKEM Official living outside the region by sending a clear
message that Somalis are peaceful people
3. Sheikh Mohamed Hirey- Muslim scholar, who do not condone reckless assault on
Garissa Mediation Council peace.
He noted that there was danger of
4. Sheikh Abdirashid Adow- Muslim scholar, xenophobia reaction from other Kenyan
SUPKEM official communities against Somalis if there
were no strong actions taken against the
5.Hamud Sheikh- Pastoralist Shade Initiative perception that Somalis were waging war
on other Kenyans.
6. Dofil Digale-­
Chief Executive Officer, Kenya Muslim Youth Alliance
P.O. Box 27592-­00100 GPO, Nairobi Tel: 020 386 1530/1
E-­mail: olenaado@kmya.org Website: www.kmya.org / www.thenewdawn.info