Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has urged students to participate in national security and peace-building initiatives. He noted that institutions of higher learning face unique security challenges that require student involvement. The Jukwaa la Wasomi programme, a student-led national initiative on mediation and preventive security, is being implemented in learning institutions across Kenya.
The Jukwaa la Wasomi programme is anchored within the Jukwaa la Usalama Framework and delivered by the Universities and Colleges Students' Peace Association of Kenya. Murkomen stated that initially, students were not involved in the Jukwaa la Usalama forums, but after realising the unique challenges associated with institutions of higher learning, they decided to include students in the discussions.
The rapid expansion of Technical and Vocational Training Institutions (TVETs) in recent years has created new dynamics for communities hosting these institutions. Murkomen cited the growth of institutions in areas that were previously villages, with some colleges experiencing a significant increase in student population. For instance, colleges with 500 students less than five years ago now have up to 10,000 students.
The growing student populations have had an impact on surrounding communities, with security concerns emerging around institutions of higher learning. Participants in the Jukwaa la Usalama forums raised concerns over inadequate street lighting, drug peddling, and the sale of adulterated alcohol targeting students. These discussions led to the decision to make students part of the forums.
Students are now participating in the sessions and presenting issues affecting them, leading to the establishment of Jukwaa la Wasomi as an offshoot of the Jukwaa la Usalama forums. Murkomen commended Principal Secretary for Internal Security Raymond Omollo for supporting the linkage between the student-led initiative and ministry structures.
The ministry has received a request to institutionalise Jukwaa la Wasomi, and Murkomen pledged to establish a framework for its institutionalisation and mainstreaming within the ministry. The process will involve consultations with the Cabinet Secretary for Education and the Cabinet Secretary for Health, particularly on matters concerning Kenya Medical Training Colleges (KMTCs) across the country.
The initiative aims to strengthen collaboration between students, learning institutions, communities, and government agencies in addressing security challenges. Murkomen stated that within the next two weeks, a framework for the proper institutionalisation of Jukwaa la Wasomi will be put in place.
Key points
- Murkomen calls for student involvement in national security initiatives
- The Jukwaa la Wasomi programme aims to address unique security challenges in institutions of higher learning
- The ministry plans to institutionalise Jukwaa la Wasomi and establish a framework for its mainstreaming
