Abstract:
Despite the establishment of Nyumba Kumi initiative and
concerted efforts by government and interested stakeholders
to cushion crime in order to flatten or ameliorate insecurity
curve, crime and social disorder continues unabated in
Kenya. The designers of Nyumba Kumi Initiative (NKI) had
in mind a solution package for criminal behavior and acts of
terrorism in diverse Kenyan localities by encouraging
constant interaction and sharing of information by every
NKI cell member in a bid to monitor security threats early
enough by providing information to the local administration
and security organs for quick mitigation. The non –
responsiveness yet massive government involvement and
budgets towards the NKI policy makes the whole concept
and practice an issue of academic interest worth reinvestigation. In many upcoming cities in Kenya,
experiencing growth of urbanization and national
development, there are signs of complexity and multiplicity
of criminal offences and actions raising questions whether
the initiative is yet to achieve its set objectives. This study
sought to find out relationship between Residence Structural
Composition and implementation of Nyumba Kumi
community policing initiative in Kericho County, Kenya.
Theoretically, this study was guided by Social Capital
Theory and Broken Windows Theory. Descriptive and
correlation research design was adopted; the study used both
qualitative and quantitative data. A target population was 1,842 household in the four villages. A simple random
technique was used to get information from sample size of
328 household members distributed proportionately across
the villages in Nyagacho in the case of probability sampling.
Purposive sampling technique was used to get information
from National Administrative Officers in the area (Chief and
Assistant Chief) and four chairpersons of Nyumba Kumi
initiative in the area. Descriptive statistics and measures of
association were used to examine the relationship between
independent and dependent variables. It was followed by
analysis using inferential statistics such as regression
analysis to examine the effects of independent variables on
the Nyumba Kumi security initiative. Presentation of
qualitative data was done inform of themes, figures and
tables. Residence Structural Composition (Diverse
ethnicities/tribes, professionals, and age) was found to have
a significant relationship with implementation of Nyumba
Kumi implementation (0.00, P<0.05). Residence Structural
Composition was concluded to have significant effect in
implementation of Nyumba Kumi initiative. National
Government Administrators are central in facilitation of
Nyumba Kumi initiative in Nyagacho area. The study
recommends that local administration ought to involve more
aggregate populace make the implementation of the
Nyumba Kumi Policing initiative work.
