By Azizah Abdullahi
Disputes over new settlements, cross-border tensions and the misuse of social media could undermine efforts to prevent violent extremism in Wajir.
The concerns highlight how unresolved local disputes and divisive public discourse can threaten peaceful coexistence, reinforcing the need for closer cooperation between communities and security agencies to identify and address potential conflicts before they escalate.
The discussions took place on Monday during a structured dialogue organised by the Women Rights Advocacy Initiative (WORAI), bringing together community members and security officials to examine emerging security threats and strengthen early warning and conflict resolution mechanisms.
Wajir County Director of Peace Building Aden Abdi said settlement disputes and border issues remained pressing concerns, warning that political competition and the misuse of social media could further complicate efforts to maintain peace.
“The way to go is a collaboration between community and security agents,” Abdi said, calling for action to curb the misuse of social media.
He warned that harmful online content could undermine the peaceful environment needed to address security concerns, particularly as the country approaches the 2027 general election.
The dialogue examined the links between violent extremism and other security challenges, including human trafficking, settlement disputes and cross-border ethnic conflict, with participants discussing ways to strengthen early warning mechanisms.
Rukia Abdullahi Barrow, chairlady of the Maendeleo ya Wanawake Wajir branch, raised concerns that the expansion of new settlements was putting pressure on already stretched resources and could fuel tensions between communities.
“New settlement is a ticking time bomb. The resources we have are already overstretched,” she said.
Barrow accused politicians of encouraging the creation of settlements to expand their electoral support, warning that competition over resources could have serious consequences for women and children if disputes escalated into conflict.
Her remarks underscored the importance of addressing local grievances and resource pressures as part of broader efforts to prevent conflict and strengthen community resilience.
She also called for greater support for women to participate in peacebuilding and conflict prevention, saying their involvement was important in decisions affecting community safety.
“It is very expensive to bring back peace but easy to destroy,” Barrow said.
She further called on the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) to take action on hate speech, alleging that politicians are involved in spreading divisive messages.
Wajir East Deputy County Commissioner George Onyango welcomed the dialogue, saying it provided an opportunity for community members and security officials to renew their commitment to peace.
“I am impressed by this dialogue in bringing peace in our community,” Onyango said, adding that participants needed to re-engage and identify how best to advance the peace agenda.
The engagement was held under the Kenya Community Engagement and Resilience Programme (KCERP), funded by the European Union through the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF) and implemented under the leadership of ACT Change Transform (ACT!).
The programme seeks to strengthen community resilience and support efforts to prevent violent extremism through engagement and collaboration.
