Assessing The Implementation of The Whole-of-Government Approach Strategy Against Banditry in Tiaty East Sub-County, Kenya

Abstract

This study assessed the implementation of the whole-of-government approach as a strategy against banditry in Tiaty East Sub-County. The study objectives were; to explore the evolution and root causes of banditry, to evaluate the whole-of-government approach as a security management strategy in addressing banditry, and to critically examine the challenges to the implementation of the whole-of-government approach in combating banditry in Tiaty East Sub-County, Kenya. The study was anchored on protracted social conflict theory by Edward Azar, supported by policy implementation theory as conceptualized by Randal Ripley’s Hybrid approach. It was underpinned by pragmatism philosophy and adopted a convergent-parallel mixed-methods research combining descriptive and explanatory research designs to offer a holistic evaluation of the implementation of the whole-of-government approach and the challenges to its implementation. Primary qualitative data was collected through key informant interviews (KIIs) with 22 purposively selected stakeholders while primary quantitative data was gathered through a survey using semi-structured questionnaires administered to 119 respondents including local residents, NGAO, local leaders, NGO representatives, security officers, and policy stakeholders at national and county levels. Data from secondary sources was used to provide contextual understanding of the implementation of the whole-of-government approach in the fight against banditry in Tiaty East Sub-County. Qualitative data was thematically analyzed using NVivo software while quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics using SPSS version 27. In line with the first objective, the study found the causes of banditry to be low literacy levels, marginalization, politicization of occurrences through misinformation, and proliferation of small arms, while its evolution to be majorly driven by commercialization of banditry and technological advancement that have seen the increased use of mobile phones and motorbikes to coordinate planned attacks and escape from banditry scenes. The study also found that the role of community elders as the central power layers in sanctioning cattle raids is diminishing as new power players driven by self-interests emerge. For objective two, the study found that the whole-of-government approach has been implemented in Tiaty East Sub-County with appreciation of stakeholder complementarity even though stakeholder collaboration beyond government MDAs still remains largely ad hoc. For objective three, the study identified inadequate resources, poor communication mechanisms, governance vacuum in remote areas, poor infrastructure, and trust deficit between locals and security forces as some of the challenges hindering the implementation of the approach. The study recommends the introduction of compulsory boarding schooling for all school going kids in the region as a long-term solution, institutionalization of the coordination through a dedicated policy framework and allocation of adequate resources to support the implementation of planned projects.