Kwale: Revealed,social media used to recruit criminal gangs

By Caroline Kahonzi

Youth in Matuga constituency, Kwale county have been discouraged  from propagating  hate speech on social media platforms .

This has emerged in a youth sensitisation forum on how to counter and pull down hate speech from the social media platforms,a forum  held at Ng’ombeni through Jisra project and implemented by the Kenya community support center Kecosce.

Speaking to journalists,Kecosce monitoring and evaluation and communication officer Zubeda Ali Hussein  noted that  social media has negatively been used to recruit and register criminal gangs  and also propagate hate speech and violence .

“We have seen many times that the issues of radicalisation before they take place in worship areas they start on the internet, for example a group of extremists “Wakali Kwanza ” it originated on Facebook, WhatsApp etc , as an organization we took the initiative to create awareness among the youth against spreading such messages on the internet and to implore upon them to report to relevant authorities such  messages that could pause a security threat ,” Said Ms. Hussein.

Ms. Hussein urged youth to take advantage of job opportunities available on the Internet .

“People find jobs on the Internet, while others do online business because the Internet connects people from different countries in the world, young people who use the Internet well will generate income for survival ,” Opined  Mrs. Hussein.

Athman Bundo, peace activist in Tiwi , appealed to the youth to be online peace ambassadors and engage themselves in meaningful development projects .

Mr. Bundo confirmed a decrease in cases of insecurity in Tiwi area.Binti Omar, a youth from the Ng’ombeni area, has asked young people to make sure they achieve their goals in life instead of being given extreme positions that mislead them.

“Bad use of the internet will lead us young people to lose our goals in life ,we have witnessed killed by mob after committing crimes , if we become ambassadors of peace and good users of the internet we will succeed as young people,” Said Ms. Omar.

On his side youth leader in the Matuga constituency, John Mukhuva Kadongo, said plans by Kecosce to create awareness about good use of the Internet among the youth are underway .

“We will be collaborating with Kecosce and security agencies ,we will report those found propagating crime on the social media platforms,” Noted Mr.Kadongo.