Policing Kenyan Schools: The Case of Kiambu-Nairobi Context

Abstract:

On 15th January 2019, police responded to yet another terrorist attack which happened shortly before 4pm at the Dussit D2 hotel Complex on Riverside Drive, Nairobi, Kenya. The attack was claimed by Al-Shabaab militants and perpetrated by young persons of Kenyan origin on a soft target in the leafy suburbs of Westlands, Nairobi. Schools by their very nature are soft targets given the vulnerability of the larger part of their populations who have very little experience in life’s realities. In capping chargeable fees the Ministry of Education leaves school managers grappling with security arrangements amidst intricate realities that differ from school to school. This study sought to find out how schools in the Nairobi-Kiambu area evaluate, organize and procure security arrangements. Whereas security from external threats would appear well arranged and managed, the security firms engaged by schools lack the mandate to handle insecurity arising from internal threats.