Inter-County Exchange Visit to Advance Peace and Counter Violent Extremism Held in Lamu (CVE)

By The COAST Reporter

Email, thecastnewspaper@gmail.com

Lamu County has successfully concluded a highly productive Inter-County P/CVE Exchange Visit, bringing together delegations from Kilifi and Tana River, security agencies, civil society actors, and development partners committed to promoting peace, security, and community resilience across the Coast region.

The exchange visit aimed to strengthen collaboration, share innovative strategies, and enhance county capacities in preventing and countering violent extremism.

The program was coordinated by Action Life with support from the Dutch Embassy, through a consortium of many organizations including Yashden and SDC, under the secretariat of the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC).

Objectives of the Exchange Visit:

Promote shared learning on effective community-based P/CVE approaches across counties.

Strengthen inter-county partnerships and operational coordination in addressing violent extremism.

Showcase successful strategies implemented by Lamu County, including youth empowerment, cross-border cooperation, and community cohesion.

Foster innovative thinking through exchange of models, tools, and best practices.

Reinforce collective responsibility in building safer, more resilient communities through multi-agency engagement.

The event was officially opened by Ms. Khadija Fumo, chief officer for public service management, under which the Directorate of Peacebuilding is anchored.

She highlighted the strong collaboration between the County Government of Lamu, national security agencies, development partners including community-based organizations.

Ms. Fumo reaffirmed the County’s commitment to zero tolerance for violent extremism, emphasizing that sustained partnerships remain central to Lamu’s progress in peacebuilding and resilience.

Inspiring Success Stories:

During the storytelling session, Mr. Shee Kupi Shee presented two transformative initiatives:

1. Cross-Border Knowledge Transfer (Lamu → Kismayo)

Lamu County trained at-risk youth from Somalia on coconut shell waste conversion,:empowering them with income-generating skills while strengthening cross-border peace and cooperation.

2. The Ushirika Plan Model: Refugee–Host Integration in Kiunga

A leading model of coexistence and community resilience, where residents implemented the Ushirika Plan even before formal roll-out, demonstrating unity and local ownership.-program enriched under Kupi’s Social change initiative ordained umder his rotary peace fellowship at Bahçeşehir University.

Participants engaged in robust discussions and consultations on:

– Community-driven approaches to P/CVE

– Strengthening Early Warning and Early Response (EWER) systems

– Empowering youth and women through livelihood programs

– Enhancing cross-border collaboration

– Improving coordination among counties, CSOs, and national agencies

The workshop was officially closed by the Tana River County Commander, who praised all counties and partners for their dedication to regional stability.

He emphasized that collaboration remains the most effective tool in preventing violent extremism and promoting peace across the region.