Al-Shabaab recruits in Nairobi’s slums
Published on : 3 November 2011 - 12:09pm | By Koert Lindijer
*John is gently kicking the ball against the wall, still a bit insecure
after his long absence from the football team in Majengo, one of the many
Nairobi slums. “Once recruited to fight in Somalia, you never come back to
Kenya”, he says. “I had already been taken by al-Shabaab to the
northeastern town of Garissa and was on my way to Somalia, but after
Kenya’s intervention in Somalia last month al-Shabaab got nervous and sent
me back.”*
*By Koert Lindijer, Nairobi*
His coach Ochieng has welcomes John back, but not without a strong
harangue. “I have been telling all of you in my team not to listen to these
recruiters for al-Shabaab here in Majengo. They are cheating you, they are
brainstorming you, and they don’t take care of you”. Little John grumbles.
“It is not true, coach. These people of al-Shabaab gave us shelter in the
mosque, they gave us food and clothes, and even some pocket money”.
*
Anti-al-Shabaab campaign*
Ochieng shakes his head. “These small kids don’t have brains, really”, he
complains. “Shabaab, Shabaab, they sheer every day. But do they know about
terrorism, about grenade attacks in Nairobi? Majengo is a fertile ground
for recruitment into militia like al-Shabaab, but do these kids realize
they will probably die soon?”
The coach is leading a campaign in Majengo against al-Shabaab recruiters.
“It is very likely Shabaab will target me because of this”, he says,
“because I am spoiling their business.” Sources in Majengo say about 80 to
90 youth have already left for Somalia.
*
New generation of terrorists*
“An alarming trend,” says the UN in a report earlier this year about the
activities of al-Shabaab-affiliated groups in East Africa. Hundreds of
youth have already joined these militias.
When Kenya recently invaded Somalia, the government in Nairobi vowed to finish al-Shabaab’s activities in the neighboring country once and for all. But the al-Qaeda-linked Islamists militants may pose a bigger threat at home.
The Kenyan al-Shabaab groups form a close network with cells in Nairobi,
Mombasa, Eldoret and Garissa, according to the UN report. After Kenya’s
invasion they came into action and, in an act of revenge, committed several
grenade attacks in the Kenyan capital. “These groups may be the new
generation of terrorists in East Africa,” concludes the UN report.
*
Holier than the pope*
Many of the recruits in Kenya are not ethnic Somali’s, but members of other
Kenyan tribal groups. They have denounced their original religious beliefs
and have become ardent adherents of radical Islam. They want to be holier
than the pope, or so it seems.
Robert Omolo is the father of his 16-year-old ‘lost son’ Victor. “He was such a lovely kid, a real family person,” Omolo says. But Victor changed. “He changed his religion and started visiting the mosque in Majengo. These kids spend their time in the mosque until deep in the night; sometimes they even sleep there.” When Victor did visit his family, he easily flew into temper. He did not respect his father anymore.
*Bribery*
One day father Omolo received a visit from Reagan, a well-known recruiter
in Majengo. He offered Omolo money, if he would remain quiet about Victor
joining al-Shabaab. “I refused the offer, but I am sure some other parents
accepted it. The police kept their eyes closed about this recruitment.”
“That is it”, Omolo concludes abruptly. “I will not say anything anymore. I don’t want to end up dead. It is still too dangerous to talk about al-Shabaab here.” The recruiters may have gone underground for now, but they have all but disappeared from Majengo.
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