Impact of Terrorism in Peace and Security in Post 9/11 Era: a Case Study of Kenya

Abstract

Terrorism in Africa has changed the typology of past conflicts that often involves ethnic conflict to radicalization into terrorism as the Alshabaab and Boko Haram for instance fight against the forces of Westernization in Africa. Kenya indeed has been at the forefront of cooperating with the West, particularly the United States in different forms since the Global War on Terror (GWT) and thus is targeted by the terror groups due to the international personalities and organizations as well as the westernized culture. Moreover, the location of Kenya which neighbors the institutionally weakened and conflicted Somali makes the counterterrorism difficult. Worst still is the Kenya’s government to militarily ‘intervene’ in Somalia in 2011. All the factors and others have in one way or another led to terror attacks and retaliatory attacks for the intervention. Terror attacks have impacted heavily in Kenya in different sectors from social, political and economic sectors. This research project therefore seeks to study the impact of terrorism on peace and security in post 9/11 era in Kenya. In bid to do so, the study is guided by the objectives to examine the influence of Kenya’s historic relationship with the West on peace and security in , examine the influence of Kenya’s economic strength on peace and security, and to examine the influence of Kenya’s legal system on peace and security in post 9/11 era. The study is therefore intended to generate both academic and policy-relevant arena as an integral component of economic integration and co-operation in Kenya.