The Government of Kenya has launched a skills-development and livelihoodsupport initiative targeting 450 vulnerable youth and women across Nairobi, Kilifi, Kisumu, Isiolo and Samburu counties.

The initiative was unveiled during the Fifth Programme Steering Committee meeting of the Peacebuilding and Preventing Violent Extremism in East Africa Programme, where the Government reaffirmed its commitment to accelerating community-led peacebuilding, strengthening social cohesion and expanding economic opportunities.

The initiative is being implemented under the Building Resilience and Community Empowerment for Peace (BRACE4PEACE) Programme. It brings together the Government of Kenya, the Government of the Republic of Korea through the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), technical and vocational education and training institutions, and national and community-based peacebuilding partners.

In Kenya, the programme is led by the State Department for Internal Security and National Administration, working with the National Cohesion and Integration Commission, the National Steering Committee on Peacebuilding and Conflict Management, the Inter-Religious Council of Kenya and other national and local institutions.

Formally titled the programme’s Resilient Livelihoods and Vulnerable Youth and Communities Empowerment Initiative, it will help vulnerable young people, families and communities develop sustainable livelihoods. Speaking at the event, Principal Secretary for Internal Security and National Administration Dr Raymond Omollo said sustainable peace and security depended on addressing the social and economic conditions that expose vulnerable communities to crime and violent extremism.

“The focus is on strengthening community resilience, promoting social cohesion and expanding economic opportunities. These pillars must move together if we are to reduce the risks facing vulnerable communities,” Dr Omollo said.

The initial cohort comprises 90 participants from each of the five counties. Through partnerships with technical and vocational institutions, they will receive practical, market-relevant training designed to improve employability, entrepreneurship and income generation.

Training has been tailored to the economic potential and circumstances of each county. It includes digital solutions and ICT in Nairobi, coastal tourism in Kilifi, cage aquaculture in Kisumu, and beekeeping, beadwork and handicrafts in Isiolo and Samburu.

Beyond the training itself, Dr Omollo said participants would need coordinated support to turn their new skills into viable enterprises and measurable improvements in household income.

National and county governments will work together to identify whether beneficiaries are already enrolled in public programmes and connect them to complementary services where gaps remain. Young entrepreneurs will also need access to business licences, financing, enterprise development, mentorship, markets, digital platforms and relevant national and county government initiatives.

The programme complements wider interventions such as the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement Programme, which supports young people to acquire skills, pursue entrepreneurship and participate more fully in Kenya’s economic development.

Placing the initiative within a broader prevention strategy, the Principal Secretary observed that communities across Kenya continued to demonstrate remarkable resilience despite environmental extremes, competition over scarce natural resources, socioeconomic marginalisation, terrorism and the growing misuse of digital platforms.

He said prevention efforts must respond to the circumstances of individual communities while allowing successful approaches to be adapted in other parts of the country. Regional experience, including community engagement in Somaliland, had reinforced the importance of understanding the grievances and vulnerabilities that criminal and extremist networks seek to exploit. “The reality is that those recruited into criminal and extremist networks are our people.

In many cases, they are driven by a feeling of neglect, marginalisation or unresolved grievances. That is why community-based programmes are so important,” Dr Omollo said.

He noted that conflicts driven by competition over natural resources continued to expose communities to serious security threats, with climate and environmental pressures intensifying existing tensions.

He called for sustained cooperation with the National Cohesion and Integration Commission and other institutions responsible for conflict prevention and peaceful coexistence.

Dr Omollo also called for early disaster preparedness ahead of the October-toDecember rainfall season. He said the National Disaster Operations Centre and other relevant institutions should coordinate with county governments and communities to prepare for possible emergencies and protect vulnerable livelihoods.

Turning to the digital space, he said technology had created important opportunities for communication, learning and economic participation while also increasing exposure to misinformation, extremist narratives and other harmful content. He called for greater investment in the ability of community institutions and young people to use technology responsibly and productively.

The Principal Secretary called for a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach involving national and county governments, community and religious leaders, civil society, development partners, the private sector and young people. This development-focused approach will complement effective security measures as Kenya prepares for the next electoral cycle.

Dr Omollo said the Government had developed a comprehensive strategic plan to guide security deployment before, during and after the 2027 General Election. He said Kenya would build on its experience in managing elections and lessons from previous electoral cycles, including the 2022 General Election, when security agencies worked closely with state institutions, communities and development partners.

“We have an elaborate strategic plan that will guide our security deployment before, during and after the elections. Our objective is to ensure that Kenyans can participate in the electoral process peacefully and that every political contestant can present their ideas without intimidation or violence,” he said.

During the Steering Committee meeting, members reviewed interventions relating to national cohesion, civic education, conflict prevention and public engagement. The Government and its partners are also revitalising the Uwiano Platform for Peace, which supported conflict prevention, early warning, public engagement and peaceful participation during previous elections.

The platform will facilitate conversations with citizens, communities, political leaders and prospective candidates while strengthening coordination among institutions responsible for cohesion, electoral security and conflict prevention.

On political violence and youth exploitation, Dr Omollo said measures were being taken to address hooliganism and politically linked criminal activity. He stressed that criminal conduct would not be excused or tolerated simply because it occurred in the context of politics or electoral competition.

“Any criminal act related to politics or political contestation will not be tolerated. Political leaders must not take advantage of the vulnerability of young people, and our youth should not allow themselves to be misused for selfish political interests,” he said.

The Principal Secretary said security agencies had undertaken intelligence-led profiling of individuals and groups suspected of involvement in organised political violence and were actively addressing criminal networks across the country.

He emphasised, however, that enforcement must be accompanied by preventive social and economic interventions. Programmes such as BRACE4PEACE provide vulnerable young people with skills, livelihood opportunities and credible alternatives to exploitation by criminal or political actors.

Dr Omollo appealed to political leaders to campaign responsibly and avoid recruiting or inciting young people to engage in violence, intimidation or other criminal acts. He also called on Kenyans to embrace political tolerance and respect differing views as an essential part of democracy.

“We must develop a culture of tolerance. People will have different opinions because that is what democracy allows. Everyone should be free to canvass their ideas without intimidation and without resorting to violence,” he said.

He urged the public to support the National Police Service and allow institutions such as the National Cohesion and Integration Commission, peacebuilding agencies, religious organisations and civil society to discharge their respective mandates.

Present at the meeting were NCIC Chairperson Bishop Dr Kepha Nyamweya Omae; NCIC Vice Chairperson Irene Tulel; UNDP Kenya Deputy Resident Representative for Programmes Madelena Monoja; KOICA Deputy Country Director Jooyoung Baek; and KOICA Programme Officer Ann Ndingo.