Terror attack monument now pillar of conversion for radicalised youth in Lamu

A monument built at the Uhuru Park Grounds in Mpeketoni, Lamu West, to commemorate the June 15, 2014 Al-Shabaab attack has now become a key turning point for radicalised youth.

The monument was installed by the Lamu County government in memory of more than 90 men killed by terrorists that night and in subsequent attacks in other parts of the county that year.

That first attack left lasting scars, with women plunged into widowhood and children left fatherless. Property worth millions of shillings was also destroyed after the attackers torched shops and fuel stations, leaving investors counting losses.

More than 30 vehicles and 40 buildings were burnt, including one housing a branch of Equity Bank, and the Breeze View and Deep Sea hotels.

Visitors to the Uhuru Park Grounds are likely to spot the pillar plaque in one corner. Moving closer, they will realise that the full names of those killed in the attacks are clearly inscribed on the plaque.

The monument was unveiled in June 2015, on the one-year anniversary of the Mpeketoni attacks.

In interviews at the site this week, security agencies, religious leaders and locals acknowledged that though the monument represents bad memories every time it is spotted, there are crucial and hidden positive impacts.

Many young people with plans to engage in criminal activities, including terrorism, have converted and become good citizens, just by visiting the Uhuru Park Grounds and seeing the dozens of names of victims of terror, said Ibrahim Shahibu, chairperson of the Lamu County Interfaith Peace Forum.

He said the county government consulted with religious leaders and the local community and came with the idea of a monument. “We did that as a way of strongly condemning the killing of innocent people [by terrorists],” Mr Shahibu said.

He added: “Though painful, this plaque has grown to become an important pillar of conversion for radicalised youths.

“Many have come here and after seeing the names of their brothers, uncles, cousins, nephews and neighbours’ inscribed on this pillar, their minds, ideologies and perceptions towards life change. They walk away knowing very well that there are no benefits to terrorism.”

The plaque also reminds the Mpeketoni and Lamu community that they need to remain united and always be alert, said elder Johnson Mbuthia.

The 2014 terror attacks, he said, caught the Lamu people by surprise, adding that this was why so many people died.

If they had been united and alert like today, he said, the destruction would have been minimal.

“Every time we see those names plastered on that attack monument at the Uhuru Park Grounds, we become more cautious security-wise. Today, everyone in the community here is their brother’s keeper,” Mr Mbuthia said.

“We don’t want enemies to come all the way from Somalia and kill us without our knowledge like what happened in 2014. We’re more alert and share information with security agencies without any hesitation.”

The names on the plaque portray the real picture of what terrorism can do, said Martha Muthoni, a resident of Witu and deputy president of the Lamu Youth Assembly.

Ms Muthoni lost a cousin in the 2014 attacks and his name is among those inscribed on the plaque.

“Visiting this site and seeing my cousin’s name here is traumatic and brings back bad memories and emotions to my life. However, this monument has helped the community to be aware that terrorism is bad and shouldn’t be encouraged,” she said.

Alex Mwangi, a youth leader in Mpeketoni, encourages fellow youth to frequent the site so as to get a sense of the negative consequences of terrorism for Kenya and its people.

Mr Mwangi cautioned young people not to fall prey to Al-Shabaab’s false promises.

Citizens, he said, should join hands with the government to fight terrorists as their common enemy.

“To my fellow youth, terrorism isn’t employment at all. Don’t associate yourselves with terrorism. Let’s be alert by sharing information with the police, the military, and intelligent officers so that criminal activities are completely eradicated for our own good,” he said.

Lamu County Commissioner Irungu Macharia said radicalisation and violent extremism among the youth in the region have reduced considerably thanks to the government’s efforts to address community issues and fight terror gangs in places like the Boni forest.

In September 2015, the national government launched a multi-agency security operation to flush out Al-Shabaab militants believed to be hiding in the dense Boni forest in Lamu, Tana River, and Garissa counties.

The operation, which has led to a decline in the number of terrorist attacks, is still going on.

But Mr Macharia also cited the County Action Plan for Countering Violent Extremism implemented five years ago as key to reducing the number of young people crossing over to Somalia to join terror gangs.

Collaboration between members of the public and security agencies has also aided the fight against terror.

“Many successful raids against militants so far are due to intelligence provided to security agencies by members of the public. I can confidently say that Lamu is winning the war on terrorism and violent extremism,” Mr Macharia said.

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