Youth radicalization in Nyeri County (Isaac Mwenja)

In the last two decades, Al-Qaeda has improved vastly. while Al-Qaeda has receded military threat, as a symbol of inspiration, and a teacher and moreover, it is now potent.

Al-Qaeda has more affiliates in more than 21 countries, following its case in 2001, following its attacks on the United States.

Islam as a religion is being exploited and manipulated by extremists to drive young Muslims and now young Christians into committing murder and suicide.

Though the majority of residents of Majengo slums in Nyeri town are Muslims, they have co-existed with Christians since colonial times.

Although radicalization has been given a deaf ear in the community after two of its oldest mosques in Majengo and Ruringu, which were built in the 1930s, featured prominently in the conversations concerning radicalization.

Youth who are desperate to find jobs are often lured that they’ll get easy money by working abroad. Those who are easily duped, do leave, cut ties with their families and never return to their families. Moreover, many families never complain that their children are missing because they think that their children are in the Middle East finding jobs.

The use of football to lure children has been an issue. Many children are told to go for training far from home. This has been a challenge making Majengo youth and especially those who were not born Muslims but converted when they get older. This has become a norm for non-Muslims to convert.

Several years ago, 100 youths linked to Mungiki approached Muslim leaders in Nyeri county and asked to convert to Muslims. However, the leaders discovered that they were sniffing snuff and smoking tobacco and that they were breaking the rules of the Muslim faith and had to dissociate them.