Involve youth in fighting Violent extremism – Usama

By; Mgandi Ngala

Stakeholders implimenting Counter violent extremism strategy in Mombasa have been challenged to directly involve youth in the fight against the security problem.

Youth Activist and a mentor from ‘Motivational talk for the Youth’ Usama Ali Hassan said that youth should be fully involved in all plans and activities of  countering violent extremism since they are the most affected by the security issue.

While addressing youth in Majengo area within Mombasa on Sunday, Usama said that programmes aiming at engaging youth in security issues should be emphasized by top security details and other stakeholders in the deradicalisation network.

Usama, a fearless and vocal youth activist and human rights defender has been crossing Mombasa and Kilifi counties in a bid to mentor youth to the right direction said that youth should be recognised as major stakeholders in the fight against violent extremism and deradicalisation efforts.

He said that if youth are fully involved in the programs and allowed to mentor their colleagues then the whole process will be a success.

“In fact we should not be discussing about fighting violent extremism but we should actually focus on preventing violent extremism so that we protect our youth from the global security problem,” added Mr. Usama.

The young activist at the Coast said that youth needs to be brought close to their mentors, guided to the right way and assisted in uplifting their lives.

“We understand that unemployment, poor parental guidance, youth being marginalized, and misinterpretation of the holy Q’uran as some of the pushing factors, but if we are directly involved in the whole process, our youth will deter from joining terror networks,” he noted.

Usama appealed to Religious leaders to always discuss openly issues of extremism and terrorism in their Mosques and churches and also appealed to human rights defenders to engage youth in peace forums up to grassroots level.