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The Role of Community Policing in Curbing the Proliferation of Illicit Arms in Kenya: The Case of Kibra Sub-county in Nairobi County
(NDU-K, 2023) Parmeres Askah J
Throughout the course of history, there has been persistent exacerbation of the predicament
face by civilians worldwide due the widespread and unlawful proliferation of illicit firearms,
which remains a threat to the maintenance of global peace and security. The prevalence of
violence and crime continue to pose a significant and enduring challenge to progress and
growth everywhere, but especially in metropolitan areas. Notably, the prevalence of illicit
firearms derails the fulfilment of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),
particularly Target 16.4 of Objective 16, which aims to stop the flow of illegal weapons and
combat organized crime. Since the SDGs are interrelated, attaining this Objective will
advance the achievement of the other SDGs. The widespread circulation of illegal weapons
poses a severe threat to Kenya's national security as well as the protection of its citizens.
Community policing (CP) has become a crucial strategy in tackling the proliferation of illicit
arms, even though law enforcement organizations are responsible for doing so. In order to
improve human security, CP places a strong emphasis on collaborative relationships between
the community and law enforcement agencies. In several countries around the world,
including Kenya, the campaign has proved effective in lowering crime rates. CP’s efficacy in
stopping the spread of illegal armaments, however, is not well-known. From the foregoing,
the study set to explore the potential of CP as a strategy to effectively address the issue of
illicit arms proliferation in Kenya, with a specific focus on Kibra Sub-County in Nairobi
County. This study aims to add to new knowledge to fill in the gaps with regards to the
precise manner in which CP can be utilized to promote an illicit gun-free society in Kenya. In
its three objectives, the study analyzed CP's contribution to the discovery of illegal weapons,
evaluated CP's involvement in the hunt for illegal weapons and assessed its participation in
breaking up illegal arms gangs in Kibra Sub-County. This research used systems theory,
credited to Ludwig von Bertalanffy (1901-1972), to explain the manner in which communitypolice relations impact on the efficacy of CP as a strategy for contending with illicit arms
problem. The project utilized an exploratory survey as the study design. This research
employed both qualitative and quantitative study approaches, thus allow the research to
gather a mix of primary and secondary data. Using key informant interviews and survey
questionnaires, the primary data were gathered from the study's population, comprising
Police officers, CP cluster heads, and National Government Administrative Officials in Kibra
Sub-County. The quantitative data were examined using the Statistical Package for Social
Sciences, and the qualitative data were reviewed thematically and descriptively, and later
documented in form of bar graphs, pie charts, tables, and narratives. Findings from the study
indicate that Police officers in Kibra Sub-County face significant challenges in detecting and
investigating illegal arms, as well as disrupting illicit weapons’ cartels. The study also reveals
that the effectiveness of CP has been hampered by inadequate integration and coordination
among relevant stakeholders as well as strained relationships between the police and the
general public. The study concludes that CP is at the centre of curbing illegal arms
proliferations in Kibra, albeit the inherent challenges. As such, the detection and investigation
of illegal SALWs as well as disruption on of illicit arms cartels in Kibra Sub-County heavily
relies on police and public cooperation. This study recommends that addressing the
challenges such as poor integration, strained police-community relationships, and limited
resources and public awareness is necessary to enhance the effectiveness of CP in preventing
the spread of illegal firearms. Additionally, the study recommends the implementation of
reforms within the security sector to support CP efforts. By actively involving and
empowering the community, CP can foster trust and cooperation, thereby making significant
progress in tackling illicit arms proliferation and enhancing overall safety and security in
Kibra.
Mentorship Programmes and Military Performance Among the Kenya Defence Forces
(NDU-K, 2023) Chirchir Emmanuel K
Mentorship is the foundation of any nations’ military professionalism and is usually the fabric
of its organizational culture and leadership. Mentorship is particularly valuable for leadership
development because it provides a safe space for the mentee to ask questions, seek advice, and
receive feedback. Despite having the above-mentioned mix of ingredients for leadership
development, mentorship has not been fully seized in the militaries as a useful tool for
developing human capital. It is against this backdrop that this study seeks to examine the
existing mentorship programmes in the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), and assess their efficacy
for leadership development in the Kenya Defence Forces. The objective of this study is to
examine the concept of mentorship and its influence to leadership development in KDF. The
thesis was anchored on the Servant Leadership Theory. Servant Leadership Theory is a
leadership philosophy that emphasizes leaders’ responsibility to serve and empower their
followers or team members, rather than asserting authority or control over them. The study
established that, in KDF, mentorship programmes were not effective. The concept was
unstructured and not properly operationalized. However, it was established that if properly
implemented, mentorship programmes can be a powerful command tool for effective KDF
leadership development. This can be achieved through a well-structured programme which in
turn will lead to improved performance, efficiency and effectiveness. Equally, mentorship
programmes in KDF foster commitment and retention in service. The study concluded that
KDF being a fairly large and diverse organization, mentorship programmes can be executed in
smaller groups units and sub-branches. There is need to institutionalize the programme through
a policy because currently, only informal mentorship framework exists. KDF needs to
deliberately initiate strategies to ground this concept amid the operational and financial
commitments.
China's Influence on the Greater Horn of Africa Security Landscape: A Case of Kenya Between 2002 and 2022
(NDU-K, 2023) Mburu Col Victor N
China is lauded for the exponential growth it has achieved over the last four decades. For this
reason, it gained the status of a global superpower and gradually it is emerging as a global
security actor, a position long-held by the USA. For many years, it has been a bilateral partner
to many African nations, particularly in trade and investment. China has an influence on the
security landscape of the Greater Horn of Africa. This is a region of geostrategic importance,
but it faces multiple security challenges that threaten its stability and that of the wider African
continent. To determine whether China should take up greater security role of this region, this
study undertook to establish the influence China has on the security landscape of this region.
Generally, this research investigated China’s influence on the Greater Horn of Africa security
landscape using the case study of Kenya from 2002 and 2022. Specifically, the study assessed:
reasons for China’s interests in the Greater Horn of Africa security; China’s interests and their
influence on the Kenya-China security relations from 2002-2022; and challenges and
opportunities that exist for greater Kenya-China cooperation on security. The study was guided
by Realism and Constructivism theories. A case study design was utilized and relevant data
collected. Analysis was conducted on both the secondary and primary date from questionnaires
and interview guide. It was established that China wants to play a bigger role in the security of
the Greater Horn of Africa because of its interest in the region’s natural resources. These
include the oil and gas resources. It was also determined that China wants to safeguard its
present and prospective investments and trading engagements in the Greater Horn of Africa.
China however is not seeking to exert dominance in the region but to establish a win-win
situation with its partners in the region. The study also found out that China’s impact in the
military and economic security of Kenya between 2000 and 2022 was significant. Several
challenges were also identified from this relationship including persistent balance of trade
deficit, adverse impact of Chinese goods on Kenya’s manufacturing sector, and the competition
posed by Chinese SMEs against the Kenyan-owned SMEs. These can be overcome using
systemic solutions. The study also established that China offers diverse opportunities that
Kenya could exploit to enhance its military and economic security. These included
opportunities for increased trade, technology transfer, greater security cooperation, and
tourism. Overall, China’s influence on Kenya’s security landscape is vividly clear through the
trading relations between the two nations, China FDI inflows in Kenya, supplies of Chinese
military hardware, provision of training opportunities to Kenya’s military, and military
exchanges between the two states.
Strategising the Use of Drones in Modern Aerial Warfare For Indian Sub-continent
(NDU-K, 2023)
Drones have rapidly created a space for themselves in modern aerial warfare in the recent past.
In the 21st Century Wars, they have been found to play key roles in creating favourable
situations for the victors. They have evolved from under the shadow of manned aircraft and are
extremely useful in modern aerial warfare. Many countries have timely invested in this
technology and are reaping benefits. These countries include the pioneers of this technology
such as Israel and the United States followed by Turkey, China, and Iran among others. Drones
are being used in multiple roles by these countries that include ISR, BDA, and Air to Surface
attacks. Drones have a lot of scope in the future as they will be used in roles of loyal wingmen,
drone swarms, and even the delivery of WMDs. India is an emerging superpower in the South
Asia region with the second-largest standing Army, the fifth-largest air force in the world, and
an expanding Navy. It is surrounded by hostile neighbours and it needs to ensure that its strong
military retains the technological edge. It needs to ensure that in the field of drones, it is at par
if not ahead of its neighbours. This research aimed to strategise the use of drones in modern
aerial warfare for Indian Subcontinent keeping the threat assessment in mind. Using the Theory
of Realism, the study followed a mix of a quantitative and qualitative approach to assess the
laid down objectives that included the study of the global evolution of drones, assessment of
the roles and tasks that can be performed by drones in modern aerial warfare and analysis of
effective employment of drones in various types of military campaigns keeping India at centre
stage. The study found that drones have not been adopted doctrinally well, in the Air Power
doctrine of IAF, to give the required emphasis on their usage and proper procurement and India
lacks the strategic environment for research, development and domestic production of drones
for aerial warfare. The study recommended that the Indian Air Force needs to doctrinally adopt
drones in various roles for aerial warfare, lay down the specifications and requirements of
drones for their procurement and development, and India must create an environment for the
indigenous development of these war machines.
Implications of Climate Change on National Security in Kenya: A Case Study of Marsabit County
(NDU-K, 2024) Mohammed Abdul A
This research “
explored the impact of climate change on security in Marsabit County, Kenya.
The study aimed to achieve three main objectives: (1) to assess how residents of Marsabit
County perceive climate change, (2) to evaluate the impact of climate change on security in the
county, and (3) to identify the adaptation strategies employed by the local population in response
to climate-related challenges. A mixed-methods design was used, integrating both quantitative
and qualitative approaches. The research was conducted across the four sub-counties of Marsabit
County—Laisamis, Saku, North Horr, and Moyale. ”
Participants were drawn from a range of
groups, including pastoralists, business owners, government and county officials, and staff from
humanitarian organizations active in the area. Snowball and purposive sampling techniques were
employed to select participants, with data collected through questionnaires and interviews. The
analysis included both thematic and statistical methods. Ethical standards were maintained by
securing informed consent from all participants before their involvement in the study.The
findings revealed that pastoralism is the primary livelihood for most residents of Marsabit
County. Climate change has adversely affected livelihood security by decreasing the availability
of water and pasture, leading to heightened competition and land encroachment. This has
consequently intensified conflict and insecurity within the region. ”
To mitigate these challenges,
local communities have diversified their economic and social activities, thereby reducing their
reliance on pastoralism.The study recommends conducting further research on the effects of
climate change on security in other counties to broaden the understanding and applicability of the
findings.