WEEKLY CONFLICT BRIEF FOR EALY WARNING EARLY RESPONSE DATED 20th AUGUST TO 26TH AUGUST 2021
1.0 KEY ISSUES FOR THIS REPORT
During this period, KECOSCE’s EWER system recorded 14 alerts from various areas in the coast. Reports are provided by peace monitors located in various locations in the region, crowd-sourced information as well as local media. The most dominant issue for this week were terrorism, Political issues, illegal gang activities and Gender-Based Violence. Drought continues to affect the counties of Lamu, Tana River, and Kilifi leading increase in human-wildlife conflicts, as well as school dropouts as children, are unable to attend classes in these counties.
Political tension is on the rise as witnessed in Taita Taveta where police dispersed mourners over noncompliance with covid19 protocols, a move that Deputy President who attended termed as cheap politics and used the platform to address the president. It is known that Taita Taveta was a jubilee zone and hosts supporters of the party, such clashes are seen as causing latent political tension in the county. Similar incidences were experienced in Kwale where the Kilifi County Governor (who is perceived to be receiving support from the Mombasa Governor) registered a new party asking coastal leaders to move out of parties led by people of other regions.
2.0 WEEKLY CONFLICT BRIEF UPDATE
During week 4 of August, the system received and classified the reports as shown in the figure below. The threat of terrorism was on the rise with police arresting suspects in Mombasa and recovering deadline weapons at the Likoni Channel. This followed heavy door to door manhunt for suspects with two being arrested in Mombasa and Kwale. Illegal gang activities involved incidents of robbery and muggings, drug trafficking as well as illicit brew operation and consumption. GBV incident involving violence against children was reported in Tana River. Event caused by drought and hunger was reported in Mkondoni location in Malindi. Mombasa County remained the most volatile followed by Kwale,Taita Taveta , Kilifi, Tana River and Lamu was the most peaceful during the week.
CONFLICTS REPORTED BY CATEGORIES
Terror-related activities continue to cause fear and suspicion among the citizens particularly in Mombasa. Some incidents involve violent and forceful arrests of well-known members of the society in the broad daylight causing the residents to start suspecting one another. Illicit brew operations are being used to host illegal activities such as drug trafficking and juvenile gang organization (KECOSCE activity report).
3.0 CONFLICTS PREDICTION TABLE.
| PREDICTION OF EVENTS IN WEEK 4 OF AUGUST | JUSTIFICTION | EVENTS REPORTED FROM 20TH -26TH AUGUST |
| Juvenile gang activities in Likoni | Outbreak of organized criminal rival gangs namely Wajukuu wa Bibi, Young Thugs and Chafu | 2 terror suspects were arrested at the Likoni Crossing channel in Likoni sub county. |
| Terror related activities in Mvita. | It has a history of radical preaching with Masjid Musa mosque which was associated with a group known as Al Hijra. The suicide bomber of Dusit2 attack was raised in Majengo | A businessman who is allegedly linked to a terror group was arrested at Mlango wa Papa in Old Town. |
| Hunger and drought in parts of Kilifi | Some parts of the county such as Ganze and Magarini are experiencing water shortage. Water pans are reported to be drying. | 1 event of hunger and drought disturbing normal school learning was reported in Mkondoni sub location, Malindi |
| Illegal gang activities in Lamu county
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Residents are being faulted for harboring perpetrators of illegal activities in Mangwes where they organize drug trafficking and juvenile attacks against civilians.
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More than 70 illicit brew operators and consumers were arrested in Hindi, Lamu.
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4.0 GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE UPDATES.
Violence against children in Tana River and Mombasa
During this period, GBV-including teenage pregnancies were flagged out as areas of concern especially within the Coast region. The predicament has become an intergenerational issue that is perpetrated by the existence of harmful norms and practices such as wife-inheritance and ‘disco matanga’. In one incident a 12-year girl was rescued from her mother who had locked her in their house for 7 days after allegedly losing Ksh. 700 in Garsen. The woman is said to have burned plastic bags over the body of her daughter, made her sleep on the floor, denied her access to food and beat her as punishment for losing the money. 2 other unverified reports from Kisauni Location in Mombasa described incidences of rape and teenage pregnancies in the area by their primary care givers.
The Coast Women Rights Movement constituting Women rights activist organization FIDA has called upon the coastal county governments to actualize and invest resources in the initiatives aiming at establishing GBV recovery centers and safe houses for the victims. The movement further demands GBV services such as medical, legal and psychological support to be included into the Universal Health Coverage package. Lack of safe houses in some coastal counties such as Tana River has seen girls and women experience torture from families and the society.
To help address this challenge within Kwale, the County government has launched a rescue Centre for victims of a relief for the survivors of GBV through partnerships between the former and Collaborative Center for Gender and Development (CCGD). This rescue Centre has been set up at Msambweni Hospital which will offer free services to GBV victims.
5.0 ILLEGAL GANG ACTIVITIES.
Increased illicit brew and consumption in Lamu
According to Lamu County commissioner Irungu Macharia, there are 2 groups of illicit drugs operating amidst the community members. More than 70 residents were arrested during an operation to combat illicit brewing and consumption in Hindi, Lamu County on 20th August 2021. The county Commissioner had announced a crackdown on the operators of illicit breweries and drug dealers. The chief officer faulted the community for fueling the illicit brews and drug trafficking business by providing a ready market to them instead of reporting. The National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse called on the citizens to report any illicit brew operations to prevent deaths brought about by the consumption of illicit brews. This comes in the wake of increased number of people dying and being hospitalized after consuming the illicit brew in Nakuru.
Illegal gangs in Kisauni
An irate mob lynched a robbery with violence suspect in Toa Tugawe village in Kisauni on the morning of 22nd August 2021. The suspect is alleged to be part of a gang that broke into a house of one resident in the area to rob them. However, the owner spotted the robbers and called for help from his neighbors who responded, forcing them to flee. One of robbers was caught and badly beaten and lynched by the angry mob.
6.0 TERROR RELATED ACTIVITIES UPDATES
Terrorism in Mombasa.
Two terror suspects were arrested at the Likoni-Ferry crossing channel on 23rd August, 2021. In a video that has since gone viral, the 2 suspects are seen being removed from the vehicle they were in and bundled into a police vehicle. The incident has attracted varying opinion on social media platforms as many question the manner in which the operation was carried out. It is being rumored that the 2 are linked to a suspected anticipated attack in concurrent with the death of Sheikh Aboud Rogo. Rogo was accused of spreading extremism and recruiting youths for the Al Shabaab militia group of Somalia before he was killed on August 27, 2012 in Mombasa. The police intelligence are said to have obtained information that led to the capture of the two.