An evaluation of factors pushing youth from Majengo, Mombasa Kenya into al-Shabaab: a methodological and theoretical analysis

ABSTRACT

This study examines factors influencing youth from Majengo in Mombasa County in Kenya to join the Al-Shabaab violent extremist group. Drawing on empirical data and social movement theory, the study finds several contextual factors, including religious ideology, social media, and texts, as aiding the radicalisation process. The study findings are consistent with the existing literature in the sub-field of terrorism studies indicating the non-linearity of the radicalisation journey. The study is informed by insights from 30 in-depth qualitative interviews carried out between 2016 and 2019 in Mombasa with religious leaders, academic experts, community members and various government agencies. Purposive and convenience sampling techniques were used to collect qualitative data, which were analysed thematically. Secondary data was collected from books, academic journals, newspapers and grey literature. The study contributes to noted gaps in terrorism studies on the value of primary data in the analysis of political violence.

KEYWORDS:

• Al-shabaab
• Kenya
• Majengo
• Islamic radicalisation
• jihadi salafism ideology
• social movement theory

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

Part of the fieldwork relied on this paper benefited from the funding support of the Next Generation Social Sciences in Africa (Next-Gen) fellowships under the Social Sciences Research Council, New York (SSRC) with funds provided by the Carnegie Corporation of New York. The fellowships were in support for a doctoral study completed by one of the authors in 2018.

Notes on contributors

John Githigaro

John Githigaro is Lecturer in Peace and Conflict Studies at St. Paul’s University, Limuru, Kenya. He holds a PhD in International Relations from the United States International University (USIU-A), Nairobi, Kenya. He holds an MA in International Relations and a BA in Communication. He was a Next Generation Social Sciences in Africa Fellow (2016-2019), a program of the Social Science Research Council (SSRC), New York. His research and teaching interests are in the areas of peace, security and development in the Horn of Africa. He has published on policing, refugeeism, counter-terrorism, and identity politics in the Horn of Africa. He is passionate about finding synergies and connections between academia, policy and the practical world of work. His recent publication is 2020 book chapter titled: Continuities and discontinuities in radicalization trends: The case of Kenya in The Handbook of Collective Violence: Current Developments and Understanding in (eds.) Carol A. Ireland, Michael Lewis, Anthony Lopez, Jane L. Ireland. Routledge, ISBN-13: 978-0367186524

Alex Kabia

Alex Njenga Kabia is a Distinguished Chevening Scholar and affiliated with the Kenya Methodist University (KeMU). He had served as Adjunct Faculty at Daystar University, Riara University and Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA). Kabia is a board member of the Global Centre for Policy and Strategy (GLOCEPS). He is also a member of the Association of Policy Practitioners (AAP). Kabia was a recipient of the British Foreign and Commonwealth Chevening Scholarship Award for 2017/18 and Swansea University Scholarship Award for 2017/18. He graduated with distinction with MA Degree in Public Policy at Swansea University, United Kingdom (UK). He also graduated with distinction and on top of the class with MA Degree in International Relations at the United States International University-Africa (USIU-Africa). He received his BA Degree in Political Science and Sociology at the University of Nairobi (UoN). He holds Diploma in Crime Management and Prevention from Kenyatta University (KU). At Kenya Methodist University, he designed and developed BA Degree in International Relations as well as MA Degree in International Relations. Kabia worked in the Office of the Auditor General (AoG) during the audit of the 2010 Constitution of Kenya. He is contributing editor of the National Intelligence Academy Journal of Peace & Security Studies (NJPSS). He researches and teaches in areas of: National Security and Strategic Studies, International Relations, Politics & Administration, International Organization, Foreign & Public Policy. His most recent publication is: “A Justice Perspective on Why Cooperation between the AU and ICC is Significant in Africa.” University of Botswana Ambassadorial Leadership Forum (UBALF), Volume 1, No.1., 2020, pp. 16-26; He is a co-author of the forthcoming book chapter titled: Sovereignty and International Recognition: Exploring the Complex China-Africa-Taiwan Relations: in the 2021 Handbook of China and Taiwan in Africa: The Struggle for Diplomatic Recognition and Hegemony. He is also co-author of the forthcoming book chapter titled: Taiwan: An Autonomous Nation: in the book of Palestine, Taiwan, and Western Sahara: Nationalism, Statehood, Sovereignty, and the International System.