Impact of Violent Extremism and Recruitment of Spouses on Widows in the Coastal Region of Kenya

Abstract

Radicalization1 and Violent Extremism (VE) 1 have been on an apparent increase across East Africa. This has partly been exacerbated by the ongoing insurgency of a myriad of militia groups, especially fanned by the Somalia-based militants – Al-Shabaab and the Islamic State of Iran and Syria (ISIS). In this light, there has risen a greater demand for fighters, especially men to join VE groups with its attendant ramifications on female spouses. In this regard, it is apparent that a lot of focus on the impact of VE and recruitment has been directed to the male recruits and violent extremists. There is a clear gap in literature on what is the impact of VE on widows, especially those whose spouses were recruited and got killed in the process and how do they cope. While it is clear that certain changes occur as a result of male spouses recruitment into VE groups and leaving their wives behind, especially to the category of men married before perceived recruitment, such changes have not been examined. Where such considerations have been done, they did not take into account widows of violent extremists as primary targets. It is against this background that the present study focused on the impact of VE and recruitment of male spouses on widows in the coastal region of Kenya and their coping mechanisms. In order to achieve this, a mixed methods approach was adopted. The study found out a plethora of negative impacts on widows of VE grouped into physical, economic, structural, psychosocial and emotional. With regard to coping mechanisms, the study found that widows of VE have developed livelihood, structural, spiritual, psycho-social and emotional support infrastructure to deal with the negative impacts.

Keywords: Violent Extremism, Widows of VE, Coping Mechanisms, Impact of VE on widows, Coast of Kenya.

Halimu S. Shauri

Associate Professor, Pwani University, E-mail: hshauri@yahoo.com