Security agencies in Garissa have embraced community engagement programmes aimed at bringing together members of the public and law enforcement officers to find solutions to the arising security concerns.
The Programme, which is being supported by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), also aims to bridge trust between the members of the public and security officials that has been low over the years.
Soumana Abubakar, an expert in community engagement and policing at IOM, said that they conducted a survey and found out that there was no trust between the members of the public and security officers, making it hard to solve crimes. "This programme is called community engagement and policing and it is aimed at enhancing human security by ensuring the participation of communities in broader governance.
This is an approach where the community members and stakeholders in the remote border areas are not seen as part of the problem but as part of the solution," Abubakar said. "This public baraza brings together the community members and the law enforcement agencies to dialogue, address the issues and together, try to find the solutions," he added.
