The National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC) has intensified efforts to prevent and counter violent extremism, even as recruiters turn to online platforms to lure youth into extremist groups.

NCTC Chief Liaison Officer for Prevention and Reconciliation Joseph Kanyiri said physical recruitment of youth into violent extremist groups had declined significantly but warned that online recruitment remained a growing concern.

“The recruitment has gone down drastically. This is a person-to-person physical recruitment, but there are attempts and incidents where youth are being recruited through online recruitment platforms. They are enticed, they are lured, and they end up joining,” he said.

Kanyiri was speaking during a Community Stability Governance conference organised in collaboration with Sharp Development Solutions Consulting in Mombasa.

He said some youth were being deceived through promises of lucrative employment opportunities abroad, adding that unemployment and other vulnerabilities could make them susceptible to such approaches.

He urged parents and young people to remain vigilant and consult trusted adults, parents and faith-based leaders before accepting suspicious offers received online.

“They look very nice, but when the deal is so nice, this is when to think twice,” he cautioned.

To address online radicalisation, Kanyiri said the government had invested in information and communication technology structures, policy and public awareness initiatives to tackle the emerging threat.

The NCTC is also working with partners to equip young people with knowledge on how to identify online recruitment tactics, while individuals who use digital platforms to recruit people into violent extremist activities could face legal action under existing cybercrime legislation.

The Centre has already engaged students in six universities, including the Technical University of Mombasa, Pwani University and Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, with plans to reach more institutions.

Kanyiri noted that extremist groups target not only unemployed youth but also educated ones seeking employment and other opportunities through digital platforms.

“Digital platforms, or the internet, leave footprints and trails, and one must be very careful about what they are doing there,” he warned.

NCTC is working with county and national government officials and other partners to implement the National Integrated Prevention Initiative Programme, supported by the Kingdom of the Netherlands, as part of efforts to strengthen Kenya’s strategy for preventing and countering violent extremism.

Kanyiri said the initiative seeks to roll out the National Strategy to Prevent and Counter Violent Extremism (NSPCVE) 2025–2030 across the country, with a particular focus on policy and governance.

The strategy succeeds the 2016 strategy and was developed to address emerging challenges in preventing and countering violent extremism.

“There are areas that need to be rolled out to the country. It has to be cascaded. It’s not a document that will remain at the national level gathering dust,” he said, adding that the strategy was being implemented through counter-engagement forums and thematic working groups.

The programme brings together senior national and county government officials to explore ways of improving service delivery and governance, with the aim of building public confidence and reducing vulnerabilities that extremist groups could exploit.

The strategy was developed through an extensive consultative and public participation process and seeks to address gaps identified in the 2016 strategy, including awareness, empowerment and inclusivity.

The new strategy has already been rolled out in 19 counties, with the NCTC now strengthening implementation structures at the county level.

“Our desire and our aim is to roll it out to all the 47 counties, and hopefully by next year, we will have rolled it out to all the counties,” Kanyiri said, adding that communities would thereafter be expected to embrace and implement proposals aimed at making Kenya safer.

Sharp Development Solutions Consulting representative Rehab Wangare said the organisation was partnering with the NCTC on monitoring and evaluation, policy and governance as part of the effort.

Mombasa County Executive for Public Service Administration, Youth, Gender, Sports and Social Services Jonathan Wepukhulu said they were implementing programmes aimed at addressing youth unemployment and vulnerability.

Wepukhulu cited the recently launched Skills Mtaani programme to equip Form Four leavers with practical skills and prevent them from becoming vulnerable to extremist recruitment.

“We want to create value out of these youth that are just leaving Form 4. We don’t want them to be idle on the streets, because these are the groups that are really targeted, especially in extremism,” he said.

The county was also using sports to provide opportunities for youth, having released Sh14 million to support sporting activities, particularly football.

He urged parents to support their children and embrace programmes aimed at equipping them with skills and creating opportunities for their future.

“Parenting is not just a government issue alone; it starts all the way from home,” he said.

By Sadik Hassan