This document summarizes a presentation on community policing in Kisii, Kenya. It discusses the origins and operations of sungusungu, an informal community policing group formed in the 1990s to provide security. Data from a 2011 safety audit shows that most residents are aware of and have interacted with these vigilante groups. While they fill a security need, the groups sometimes use violent or unfair tactics. The presentation proposes increasing education about the formal justice system, engaging communities and victims, and transforming informal groups to operate less violently and more fairly. The overall goal is to address the social and economic factors that drive crime, rather than just punish offenders.
2. Introduction
• Sanchez-Jankowski (1991) notes Gangs
as "formal-rational" organizations with
rules, roles, and goals, and function as
purposive social organizations.
• Shrouded in secrecy, sungusungu,
known to recruit exclusively from the
local Gusii community started in
Bonchari constituency in Kisii Central in
the 1990s
3. Police and Community Policing riding together
to quell Pro-box Toyota Car Strike at Kisii Bus
Park on March /28/2012
4. Philosophy
•Threats of Violence and Crime in
Kisii played a role in the origin,
growth, daily activities, and
belief systems of now called
“CP”
•It was part of the community
"myth" to create protection as
well as unity.
6. Case Handled By CP Kisii
1. Civil Case on refusing to Make Cement
Blocks OB 55/30/4/2013
2. Agreement to Repay Stolen Money –
OB/61/8/5/2013
3. Damaged Mkokoteni
4. Repayment of debts for Motor Bike
7. Usalama Kisii Safety Audit 2011
• 84% Know of vigilantes existence
• 82% joined gangs for finances
• 52% paid for protective services
• 50% exposed to violence
• 55% agree that the groups work with
the chief
• 32% high likelihood of victimization
• Victims dissatisfied with Policing
Services as they took too long
8. Dialogue with Community Policing Members and Village
Elders at Kisii Nyanchwa Chief on the May /2/ 2013
9. Other Facts ……….
“Sungusungu” is most prominent
Reasons why youth join gangs; to get
finances easily,
Outstanding communal factors leading
young people to join gangs were:
Unemployment and alcohol & drug abuse
Relationship between youths and crime:
Both are perpetrators and victims of
crime and violence
10. Access to drugs and substances easy
Youth aged 18-24 years and 25-35 years
responsible for drug abuse
Youth aged 25-35 years & Adult aged 36-50
years responsible for drugs trafficking
Main factors driving youths to drug abuse: peer
pressure, availability of substances, self
experimentation, low sense of personality &
family habit to abuse drugs
11. Reengineering Our Thinking
OLD
The State v. the Offender
Offender breaking the
criminal code
Solution:
Punishment and
Deterrence
Change offenders’
disposition to commit
crime
Victim Offender
Situation
NEW
Solution:
Intervene in the situation/
risk factors that produces
crime
12. Usalama Proposals Beyond 2014
1) Awareness on the formal justice and security
system and process- Public education and
Training for CP
2) Engage local community and victims of crime
with formal justice and security actors-
Tracking and reporting on impact of CP
3) Transformation of the local informal justice
and security initiatives to be less violent and
be more fair and just – Code of Conduct for
CP
13. Thank You & For
enquiries
Tel: 0720975498
Email: rapudo.hawi@usalamaforum.org
www.usalamaforum.org