Effect of Proliferation of Illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons on Kenya’s National Security. A Case Study of West Pokot County.

Unchecked proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALWs) is a major threat to national, regional and international security. There are various causes for proliferation of illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons which include: diversion from national stockpiles of different countries as a result of civil wars, and circulated through arms trafficking to various parts of the world, those smuggled by arms manufacturers, illegal sale by security officers among others. Global, regional and national estimates of illicit arms outweigh the legal government arms held by the military and law enforcement agencies hence this explains insecurity in various parts of the world. In Kenya as a result of neighborhood with countries that experience internal political turmoil, proliferation of illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons has been very rampant. Pastoralist communities in the Arid and Semi-Arid areas of Northern Kenya are the most affected and this has resulted to perennial insecurity in that region with resultant underdevelopment and national insecurity. This study was therefore undertaken to determine the effect of proliferation of illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons on Kenya’s national security in order to come up with policy recommendations that can be adopted to arrest the situation. The research was undertaken in four Sub Counties of West Pokot County that are most inflicted with illicit SALWs insecurity. Data was collected through interviews and questionnaires using sample sizes of thirty and one hundred and ten respondents respectively. A pragmatic research design was adopted with triangulation approach applied in data collection, presentation, and analysis. The study considered two theories; Social Identity Theory and Rational Choice Theory to establish the drivers of proliferation of illicit SALWs amongst civilians in spite of the government providing security to its citizens. The objectives of the study were; to examine the impact of proliferation of illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALWs) on Kenya’s National Security, to assess the effects of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) instruments on illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons’ proliferation control on National Security in West Pokot County, and to find out the security measures to counter illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons proliferation that have been adopted to enhance National Security in West Pokot County. From the research findings, it was established that proliferation of illicit SALWs had adversely affected national security. Alternative Dispute Resolution instruments applied by various stakeholders were found to have significantly contributed to alleviation of this national vice. However, the efforts undertaken by national security organs in alleviating proliferation through law enforcement approaches were reported to have been ineffective, though those that applied participatory soft enforcement strategies had some levels of success. Both the law enforcement, and Alternative Dispute Resolution approaches were hindered by constraints that if addressed could boost the fight against illicit SALWs proliferation in Kenya. Various policies were recommended to reduce proliferation of illicit SALWs in West Pokot County and these were; sustained security operations, supporting ADR efforts, strategic deployment of formed up police units accompanied by modern technological advancements, uniform implementation of government security directives, infrastructural developments, and regional cooperation.