Security as an Anchor of Development: Notable Government Interventions for Northern Kenya

For decades, northern Kenya has grappled with the twin challenges of insecurity and underdevelopment. The arid counties of Wajir, Garissa and Mandera—stretching along Kenya’s borders with Somalia and Ethiopia—have historically been marginalised, their communities bearing the brunt of cross-border banditry, terrorism, clan conflicts and the destabilising effects of regional instability. Since 2022, a renewed and more deliberate government effort begun to shift this narrative, with the Kenya Kwanza administration deploying a multipronged strategy aimed at restoring durable peace and laying the groundwork for inclusive development.

A new security architecture

Central to the government’s approach has been the intensification of inter-agency security operations across the three counties. Regular and coordinated patrols, bringing together the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), the National Police Service (NPS), the National Intelligence Service (NIS) and other security agencies have significantly disrupted the operational networks of Al-Shabaab and other militant groups that long exploited the region’s porous borders and sparse population. These joint operations, underpinned by improved intelligence sharing, have helped restore calm in previously volatile areas and enabled communities to go about their daily lives with greater confidence.

The security approach by the government has moved away from a purely enforcement-based model. Security agencies actively involve local communities in designing and implementing security interventions. Security personnel have developed and integrated community policing forums, elders’ councils and local peace committees into the broader security architecture, transforming residents from passive bystanders in security operations into active stakeholders in securing their own peace and safety. This community-centered model has proved effective in generating local intelligence, isolating radical elements and building trust between security agencies and populations that had long regarded government officers with suspicion.