NCIC launches Peace to the City Initiative to combat youth gangs » Capital News

NAIROBI, Kenya May 27 – The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) has launched a program to curb organized armed youth criminal gangs nationwide.

The Peace to the City Initiative focuses on the counties of Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, Eldoret, and Nairobi, which will host the Vulnerable Youth Summit in July 2024.

The Commission’s Chairman Samuel Kobia expressed concern on Monday over the resurgence of organized criminal gangs in certain areas of the country, highlighting the urgency for decisive action.

“While it is true that this social phenomenon of young people is a result of lack of formal employment their regrouping and engagement in criminal acts poses a threat to the fragile social cohesion fabric,” Kobia said.

Kobia observed that if left unchecked, organized criminal gangs present a significant threat to peace, unity, and stability in Kenya, as well as to national security.

“Once they gain roots in the society, organized criminal gangs attain power capacity to challenge security organs of the state as in Haiti, Colombia, and other states in Central America,” he said.

In 2022, the Commission published its Conflict Hotspot Mapping study, which highlighted the involvement of organized armed youth criminal gangs.

Nonetheless, Kobia expressed regret that despite authorities’ endeavors to suppress their operations, these gangs persist in adapting and flourishing, employing advanced tactics to avoid detection and preserve their influence.

About The Author