Positive parenting training programme to address teen violence in Garissa town

In 2024, Garissa town experienced an unprecedented wave of ten violence that compromised its safety.

In a town once voted by Interpol as the safest in East and Central Africa, teenagers armed with pangas and knives have been terrorising people, causing the deaths of two people while scores were robbed and injured.

Hassan Osman Shurie, the Garissa peace chairman, said the teen violence shattered the good reputation the town enjoyed for a long period

"We have been a model for peace after the community fought against banditry activities that ended in 2001. Then came the terror incident at Garissa University that claimed the lives of innocent students. The town was free from any kind of violence, especially daylight robberies. The teen violence experienced this year never existed before," Hassan said.

The peace chairman said they engaged the county security team to fight against the youthful criminals most of whom were school dropouts.

Hassan warned that unless collective efforts by the security team, the community and religious leaders are mobilised to fight against the gangs, the situation could evolve into a more complex one where the teenagers could use more sophisticated weapons.

Abdirahman Hassan, a trader at Garissa town's largest market, narrated how the year has been different, with a surge in teen violence.

Rising robbery cases

"It is our prayer that the increased cases of robbery we witnessed this year will not continue. We walked freely to home and banks carrying cash, but recently, it has not been usual," he said.

Ibrahim Ahmed Farah, a victim who sustained a serious hand injury as he struggled to fight two teens armed with pangas who robbed him of a mobile phone as he walked from a hotel in Garissa, also affirms that this year has been different in Garissa town.

"I have never expected that gangs would ever attack me within Garissa town until I was confronted by two youths, aged approximately 16 and 17, around 7.00 pm in October near Warsan Hotel in Garissa town," he said.

He said his assailants were yet to be arrested after disappearing with his phone.

During the 61st Jamhuri Day celebrations held at Garissa Primary School, the increased cases of teen violence dominated the speeches of the local leaders.

Garissa Township Deputy County Commissioner Sebastian Okiring announced the government's plan to roll out a positive parenting training programme to address the increased cases of teen violence in Garissa town.

Okiring attributed the rising teen violence to parental failure.

"The latest incident occurred on Wednesday where a religious leader going for morning prayers to a mosque was confronted by a gang of teenagers, some aged 12 years old, robbing him of a mobile phone. The National Positive Parenting Programme that targets parents and caregivers will soon kick off in Garissa," he said.

He urged parents to give their children the necessary attention and guidance against violence.

Garissa County Commissioner Mohamed Mwabudzo urged parents to nurture their children in line with their responsibilities for positive parenting.

Vocational training

He said the National Positive Parenting Programme would help to guide parents with challenges that could put children at risk of engaging in violence. He also encouraged the youth to join vocational training colleges to gain skills that promote sustainable livelihood.

"We have very lazy youth who don't want to work nor join vocational training for skills. They involve themselves in drugs, depend on their parents for upkeep and idle around in Garissa town. This is a very dangerous trend that needs to be addressed," he noted.

Garissa Governor Nathif Jama blamed the youth for their inability to change with the existing white-collar jobs and increased opportunities for artisan skills.

"The vocational training equipped by the government is grappling with low enrolment. Thousands of people every morning cross the Garissa-Tana bridge from the neighbouring Tana River county to come to Garissa town for manual labour and they go back in the evening with money in their pockets, yet our youth disregard this job opportunity with contempt," said the governor.

The governor encouraged youth to join the vocational training colleges and learn artisan skills rather than waiting for government jobs.