Assessing The Role of Regional Institutions in Countering Terrorism in Africa: A Case of East Africa Community Counter Terrorism Strategies in Kenya.

Abstract

Confronting the security concerns that have defined the twenty-first century is a difficult and diverse endeavor. The African continent, which has endured multiple periods of fragility and instability ranging from the early colonial expansion to the Cold War, is a striking example of its complexity. Recent developments fueled by the Global War on Terror (GWOT) have complicated security dynamics, as the continent continues to host a variety of competing interests from domestic, regional, and international actors. In this regard, it can be challenging and even hazardous to make broad generalizations about security concerns throughout the African continent. Insofar as current events in Africa suggest that an African peace and security regime is emerging, despite efforts to address and resolve the problems, additional factors are endangering the continent's stability. This study's objective is to evaluate the effectiveness regional institutions in countering terrorism with a specific look into EAC counter terrorism strategies employed in Kenya. East Africa community has faced threats and attacks from terrorist groups causing a level of insecurity within the region countries like Tanzania and Uganda have been victims of terrorism activities and in Kenya alone, more than five terrorism attacks have been launched consistently by the Al shabaab, causing loss of life and destruction of peace. This study aims to address this gap by assessing the impact of EAC counter terrorism strategies on peace and security in Kenya, as well as offering an in-depth analysis on the challenges and opportunities faced by Kenya in implementing EAC counter terrorism strategies in shaping peace and security. In this study Collective security theory and Neoliberal Institutional theory are useful in examining the impact of EAC counter terrorism strategies in Kenya. The study employed a case study design using a qualitative research method and data collection tools such as interviews and questionnaires. This approach facilitates a comprehensive analysis of the contextual insights into the effectiveness of EAC counter-terrorism implementation. Data analysis includes thematic analysis for qualitative data, aiming to provide a robust understanding of the relationship between regional institutions and their role in promoting peace and security through countering terrorism in Kenya within the EAC framework. The study established that international there were international responses to terrorism which led to significant improvement in intelligence sharing and border protection. The study also found that to a great extent the AU is vital for countering terror in member states as a way of filling the gaps left by members due to low capacity and inadequate mechanism. The study further established that the most faced challenges were corruption, porous borders and radicalization of the youths. The study concludes that the intelligence sharing among the EAC member states constitutes an integral part of counter terrorism mechanism in the fight against terror. The study further concludes that AU vital for countering terror in member states as a way of filling the gaps left by members due to low capacity and inadequate mechanism. The study thus concludes that to contain terrorism priority must be given in addressing corruption, radicalization, porous borders and marginalization. The study recommends that the security agents to coordinate with the local communities to gain their trust in order to increase public participation in countering terrorism.