Former Garissa Governor Ali Bunow Korane/HANDOUTFormer Garissa Governor Ali Bunow Korane has called for a shift from periodic security crackdowns to a permanent, intelligence-led approach to tackle rising insecurity in Garissa Town and its environs.
Korane said the situation had deteriorated over the past two years, with residents reporting robberies, stabbings, break-ins and theft, but argued that the nature of the town made the problem manageable if security agencies worked with reliable local intelligence.
“The situation is not good. Garissa is a small town and a rural community, not sophisticated. It is not very difficult to manage security in Garissa,” Korane said.
He added that residents often know the identities of people involved in crime and where suspects flee after committing offences. “People know who has committed crime and that should not be so hard for agencies to deal with. I do not know why over the last two years it is getting worse,” he said.
Korane proposed four measures, starting with a permanent intelligence-led security model to replace episodic crackdowns.
He said authorities should map crime hotspots and deploy personnel and resources based on evidence rather than waiting for incidents to occur.
He also proposed a structured community early-warning system bringing together chiefs, elders, religious leaders, business people, boda boda associations, women and youth representatives to ensure information reaches security agencies before crimes are committed.
He said prevention should complement enforcement, particularly in addressing young people at risk of entering criminal activity.
“A young person who is already carrying a knife and robbing residents requires law enforcement, but the next generation at risk needs intervention before it reaches that point,” Korane said.
He argued that security agencies and social programmes must work together to prevent crime from becoming entrenched.
Korane also called for a distinction between ordinary urban crime and the Al-Shabaab threat affecting parts of Garissa County and areas close to the Somalia border.
He said phone and watch theft, break-ins and other petty crimes reported in Garissa Town should not automatically be treated as terrorism-related incidents.
Counter-terrorism, he said, requires specialised intelligence, border security, inter-agency coordination and efforts to prevent radicalisation, while urban crime requires effective policing, investigations, prosecution and social interventions.
The former governor also linked the rise in crime to drug and substance abuse, saying some addicts resort to theft and robbery to finance their habits.
He called for religious leaders to play a bigger role in prevention, arguing that they could use their influence to encourage young people and communities to avoid criminal activities.
Korane said that although security is not directly under the mandate of a governor, an elected administration could work closely with national security agencies to address the problem. “It is something we can do very easily,” he said.
He welcomed previous government operations targeting gangs, saying they demonstrated that focused enforcement could restore order, but warned that such gains would not last without sustained measures.
He proposed permanent neighbourhood intelligence networks, visible patrols in identified hotspots, effective investigations and prosecution, alongside interventions targeting vulnerable youth.
His proposals come after stakeholders in June held a series of security meetings following growing concern over crime in Garissa. Waberi West was identified among the areas affected by murders, stabbings, armed robberies and break-ins targeting homes and businesses.
Garissa Deputy Subcounty Administration Police Commander Hassan Adan has urged residents and security agencies to confront the challenge collectively.
“Crime cannot be fought and defeated by the police or security agencies alone. It requires collective responsibility,” he said.
