Information Sharing as a Determinant of Implementation of Nyumba Kumi Community Policing Initiative in Kericho County, Kenya

Abstract

Despite the establishment of the Nyumba Kumi initiative and concerted efforts by interested stakeholders to cushion crime in order to flatten the insecurity curve, crime and social disorder still stands out in Kenya, thus making it an area of interest to carry out further investigation in this area. With the growing urbanization and national development, there are signs of complexity and multiplicity of criminal offences and actions raising questions about whether the initiative is achieving its set objectives. It is a policing in which police and citizens take a central role in the affairs of security; one rationale for public involvement is the realization that police alone cannot either guarantee nor create safe communities. Therefore, the study sought to find out information sharing as a determinant of implementation of the Nyumba Kumi community policing initiative in Kericho County, Kenya. This study was guided by Broken Windows Theory. A descriptive research design was adopted; the study used both qualitative and quantitative data. A target population was 1,842 households in the four villages. A simple random technique was used to get information from the sample size of 328 household members distributed proportionally across the villages in Nyagacho in the case of probability sampling. Purposive sampling technique was used to get information from two administrative officers that are area Chief and Assistant Chief, four chairpersons of Nyumba Kumi clusters 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 in the form of themes, figures and tables. The findings revealed that information sharing improves security through the circulation of information. Nyumba Kumi initiative uses the door-to-door strategies as well as meetings set by chiefs and Assistant Chiefs. However, there are no sufficient financial resources as well as equipment that could be utilized in crime prevention among the Nyumba Kumi initiative. The study concluded that information sharing had a significant influence on the implementation of Nyumba Kumi policing. The study recommended that government should provide resources as well as facilitate cohesion within the Nyumba Kumi through developing structures and sufficient policies to guide in the implementation of the Nyumba Kumi Community Policing initiative.