Security stakeholders and youth in Kisumu have turned to sport and civic engagement as part of efforts to tackle youth crime, goonism and political violence ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The initiative brought police officers and young people together for a joint football tournament and civic engagement drive themed “Taking Responsibility”, with participants urged to work together in promoting safety and peaceful coexistence.
The organisers said the initiative was aimed at strengthening trust between law enforcement agencies and communities while creating an avenue for young people to discuss challenges that expose them to crime and violence.
Participants were also cautioned against allowing themselves to be recruited or used to perpetrate political violence as the country heads towards the 2027 elections.
Security leaders at the event stressed that maintaining peace and security is a shared responsibility and that police officers and members of the public should not view each other as enemies.
The engagement sought to provide an alternative to criminal networks by giving young people constructive activities while opening channels through which they can engage security agencies and government officials.
The approach is consistent with the National Police Service’s community-policing framework, which calls for partnerships between police and communities to prevent and combat crime. The NPS identifies sporting events, community forums, youth crisis-intervention programmes and rehabilitation initiatives among activities that can strengthen public-police relationships.
The police service has also previously linked community engagement to improved public confidence, noting that effective policing depends on relationships that encourage members of the public to share information and participate in addressing security challenges.
With the 2027 elections approaching, the Kisumu initiative also placed emphasis on preventing the exploitation of young people for political violence.
Participants were encouraged to reject criminal activities and instead take advantage of government programmes designed to provide young people with skills, employment opportunities and avenues for enterprise.
The government’s Medium-Term Plan includes youth skilling, employment and wealth-creation initiatives, including targets for training thousands of young people in life and entrepreneurial skills.
The government has also been implementing the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) programme. President William Ruto said in a recent address that more than 12,000 beneficiaries had received over KSh303 million under the programme, which targets more than 110,000 young entrepreneurs nationally. The programme also includes on-the-job experience opportunities for 90,000 youth and recognition of prior learning for 20,000 young people.
Beyond competition, the football tournament provided a platform for police officers and young residents to interact outside traditional law-enforcement settings.
The organisers said such engagements could help break down mistrust, identify young people at risk of being drawn into criminal activities and encourage them to pursue constructive opportunities.
The NPS has previously described community policing as a strategy that depends on cooperation between the Service and the communities it serves. Its framework specifically recognises sporting events as one of the activities that can be used to build public-police relationships.
The initiative comes as security agencies continue to emphasise community partnerships, professionalism and public participation in efforts to prevent crime and maintain peace.
The National Police Service’s current reform structure includes a dedicated community-policing coordination function within the Directorate of Police Reforms, reflecting the Service’s broader focus on strengthening engagement between officers and communities.
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