BORDER CONTROL MECHANISMS AND THE PREVENTION OF RADICALIZATION IN THE HAGADERA REFUGEE COMPLEX, GARISSA COUNTY, KENYA
Keywords:
border control, radicalization prevention, Hagadera Refugee Complex, inter-agency coordination, violent extremism, KenyaAbstract
Purpose of Study: This study examined the role of border control mechanisms in preventing radicalization within the Hagadera Refugee Complex, Garissa County, Kenya, focusing on effectiveness of border operations, inter-agency coordination, and implementation challenges in a porous Kenya–Somalia border context.
Methodology: A descriptive mixed-methods design was employed with 142 purposively sampled stakeholders. Data were collected using structured questionnaires, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS (descriptive and inferential statistics), while qualitative data underwent thematic content analysis.
Findings: Border control mechanisms significantly reduced radicalization risks: intelligence sharing (mean=4.18), border screening (mean=4.12), and patrol surveillance (mean=4.05). Inter-agency coordination registered moderate-to-high collaboration (mean=3.84), though irregular joint forums (mean=3.69) constrained effectiveness. Key challenges included porous borders (mean=4.26), limited resources (mean=4.19), inadequate personnel (mean=4.10), and community mistrust (mean=3.97). Pearson correlation confirmed a strong positive relationship between border control measures and radicalization prevention (r=0.642, p<0.01). Regression analysis established border control as a significant predictor (β=0.587, p<0.001), explaining 41.2% of prevention outcome variance.
Conclusion: Proper operations, institutionalized coordination, and community engagement are essential for effective counter-radicalization in refugee settings. The study recommends targeted investment in surveillance technology, personnel capacity, formalized multi-stakeholder coordination frameworks, and trust-building community engagement programs to strengthen prevention outcomes.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20642041
References
Abdalatif, F. A. (2021). In Search of Home; Child Soldiers in al-Shabaab’s Ranks. https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?pid=diva2%3A1593564&dswid=-1659
Amomo, C. G. (2024). A cybersecurity and regulatory framework for mitigating fraud and illicit activity in cryptocurrency ecosystems. World Journal of Advanced Engineering Technology and Sciences, 12(2), 1002–1019. https://doi.org/10.30574/wjaets.2024.12.2.0294
Badurdeen, F. A. (2024, March 12). Cross-border Dynamics in Terrorist Mobility and Infiltration along the East African Coastlines. Ifri.org. https://www.ifri.org/en/studies/cross-border-dynamics-terrorist-mobility-and-infiltration-along-east-african-coastlines
Campbell, S., Greenwood, M., Prior, S., Shearer, T., Walkem, K., Young, S., Bywaters, D., & Walker, K. (2020). Purposive Sampling: Complex or Simple? Research Case Examples. Journal of Research in Nursing, 25(8), 652–661. https://doi.org/10.1177/1744987120927206
Eashae, K. (2025). How Can Community-Led Initiatives Build Social Cohesion and Support Attempts to Prevent Violent Extremism in Aotearoa New Zealand? https://doi.org/10.26686/wgtn.29176724
Elvegard, R., Andreassen, N., & Badu, J. (2024). Building collaboration and trust in emergency preparedness: a model for planning collaboration exercises. Safety in Extreme Environments, 6. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42797-024-00107-w
Guldimann, A., & Meloy, J. R. (2020). Assessing the threat of lone-actor terrorism: the reliability and validity of the TRAP-18. Forensische Psychiatrie, Psychologie, Kriminologie, 14(2), 158–166. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11757-020-00596-y
Hansen, S., Lid, S., Collins, C., & Okwany, O. (2022). Countering violent extremism in Somalia and Kenya: Actors and approaches. https://www.cve-kenya.org/media/library/oslomet.pdf
Hussey, I., Alsalti, T., Bosco, F., Elson, M., & Arslan, R. (2025). An Aberrant Abundance of Cronbach’s Alpha Values at .70. Advances in Methods and Practices in Psychological Science, 8(1). https://doi.org/10.1177/25152459241287123
Ibrahim, H. A., & Wario, H. A. (2022). Understanding the Role of Community-Based Organisations in Radicalisation and Terror-Related Activities in Nairobi County, Kenya. East African Journal of Arts and Social Sciences, 5(2), 162–175. https://doi.org/10.37284/eajass.5.2.958
Jemirade, D. (2020). Humanitarian intervention (HI) and the responsibility to protect (R2P): the United Nations and international security. African Security Review, 30(1), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/10246029.2020.1847153
Kibaara, A., & Muhindi, S. (2025). Terrorism Consequences on Human Security in Nairobi County, Kenya. Cradle of Knowledge: African Journal of Educational and Social Science Research (The), 12(2), 63–68. https://doi.org/10.4314/ajessr.v12i2.2
Kithii, N. N., & Onyango, E. (2023). Impacts of Using Multi Agency Command Centre Strategy on National Security at Isebania Trans-Border, Migori County, Kenya. OAlib, 10(09), 1–23. https://doi.org/10.4236/oalib.1110566
Kotia, E. (2024). Building Border Community Resilience Against Violent Extremism: The Role Of The Ghana Boundary Commission. https://emmakotia.org/download/26/policy-brief/4159/ghbc-october-article.pdf
Larkin, L. L., & Clark, S. A. (2023, November 21). Refugees Flexing Social Power as Agents of Stability: Creating Modes of Economic Livelihoods in Kenya’s Camps. Dtic.mil. https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/html/trecms/AD1049211/
Magwood, O., Kassam, A., Mavedatnia, D., Mendonca, O., Saad, A., Hasan, H., Madana, M., Ranger, D., Tan, Y., & Pottie, K. (2022). Mental Health Screening Approaches for Resettling Refugees and Asylum Seekers: A Scoping Review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(6), 3549. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19063549
Mutisya, M. (2024). Challenges and Lessons Learned from Counter Terrorism Strategies in Kenya. African Journal of Empirical Research, 5(1), 225–230. https://doi.org/10.51867/ajernet.5.1.22
Oando, S. O. (2022). Space for African women in tackling violent extremism: Engendering conflict transformation in Kenya. https://hdl.handle.net/10523/13506
Oyosi, E. O. (2024, November). Security Measures and Border Security at Namanga One Stop Border Post, Kajiado County, Kenya. Ku.ac.ke. https://ir-library.ku.ac.ke/items/1e1db030-530d-4663-aab0-f5ec691a5d38
Sempijja, N., & Nkosi, B. (2021). National Counter-Terrorism (C-T) Policies and Challenges to Human Rights and Civil Liberties: Case Study of Kenya. International Human Rights, 431–448. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-4181-5_36
Shafieioun, D., & Haq, H. (2023). Radicalization from a societal perspective. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1197282. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1197282
Shinija, Mrs. N. Adlin. (2024). DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH DESIGN. ResearchGate. ResearchGate. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.19205.36325
Sydnes, M., Kjeve, M., & Sydnes, A. K. (2025). Interorganizational coordination during emergecies and crises. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 105310. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2025.105310
Tseer, T., Kuusaana, E. D., Fuseini, M. N., Yiridomoh, G. Y., & Salifu, K. (2025). From policing to sustainability: Rethinking pathways for safer neighbourhoods in border communities. World Development Sustainability, 7, 100230. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wds.2025.100230
United Nations. (2019). United Nations Somalia Together for Development Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism P/Cve At A Glance. https://somalia.un.org/sites/default/files/2020-01/PCVE.PDF
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Abdikani Ibrahim Kala, Francis Mulu
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
This license permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author(s) and source are properly credited.
