National Youth Conference on Countering Violent Extremism on the Way

County Governance Watch (CGW), in partnership with the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) as well as other partners drawn from Uwiano Platform, are planning for the National Conference on Countering Violent Extremism and anti-Radicalization.

This conference is informed by the current ongoing in Kenya where with only 328 days remaining to the next General Elections, the political temperatures have already reached the boiling point, politicians are breathing fire and tension is mounting. Already the two big political divides are gearing up towards the general elections and the way the atmosphere is, it a do or die game and those likely to be influenced and swayed are the youth.

The ambitious conference is aimed at driving messages of peace among the youth in all the Counties in the country, especially the hotspot counties, as the General Elections comes closer. Kenyan youth, have for many years, been used by politicians to cause violence and havoc during campaign periods and even during and after the elections. What happened during the 2007/2008 Post Election Violence is a perfect example.

Kenyans have endured enormous suffering under the hands of violent extremism and many of the individuals who have been perpetrating these acts are the youth. Young people tend to be adventurous as well as in search of purpose, meaning and status in their lives. This often happens as the youth undergoes through the different stages of self-maturity. It is because of this that most of the become vulnerable to being easily misled as well as being brainwashed and instilled with doctrines that spell doom and destruction.

The conference is expected to culminate into the launch of the Students (Youth) Report on Countering Violent Extremism and anti-Radicalization which is a phase of the Youth Dialogue Series that CGW has been running together with NCTC in Nairobi, Kiambu, Rift Valley and the Coast Regions.

Read: President Kenyatta Launches Strategy to Counter Violent Extremism