Kenya Community Support Centre (KECOSCE) Executive Director Phyllis Muema addresses the media during the National Dialogue on Policy and Legal Frameworks under the Together for Religious Freedom project in Nairobi on July 23, 2026.
NAIROBI, July 23, 2026 – Stakeholders have called for enhanced protection of freedom of religion and belief in Kenya’s security and governance processes, saying a rights-based approach is critical in addressing violent extremism, strengthening community resilience and promoting peaceful coexistence.
Speaking during a National Dialogue on Policy and Legal Frameworks under the Together for Religious Freedom project in Nairobi, Kenya Community Support Centre (KECOSCE) Executive Director Phyllis Muema said the initiative had strengthened engagement between communities, government agencies and security institutions in Garissa, Lamu and Tana River counties.
“Freedom of religion is a fundamental constitutional right, yet in some instances it has been overlooked during security operations. Through this programme, we have worked with communities and security agencies to ensure counter-terrorism efforts respect human dignity, religious practices and cultural diversity,” said Muema.
She said the programme, implemented by a consortium comprising Search for Common Ground, KECOSCE, MUHURI and Kesho Alliance, focused on promoting freedom of religion or belief while empowering communities to engage with security actors and address challenges affecting peace and stability.
Muema noted that the three counties targeted by the programme face unique security and social challenges, including violent extremism, marginalisation, interfaith tensions and strained relations between citizens and state institutions.She said religion remains an important aspect of community life in the region and should be considered when government agencies deliver services to citizens.
According to Muema, the initiative created platforms for dialogue between religious leaders, communities, security agencies and other stakeholders to ensure that measures taken to address insecurity do not undermine constitutional rights.
“For nearly eight years, affected families received no response over losses caused by wildlife attacks. Today, Sh179 million has been set aside to compensate about 180 affected families, demonstrating that dialogue and accountability can deliver justice for communities,” she said.
She said the engagement with the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) in Tana River County helped address long-standing concerns over human-wildlife conflict, where communities had suffered losses from attacks by wildlife without receiving adequate support.
Muema added that the programme also worked closely with the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) to promote a better understanding of violent extremism and ensure counter-terrorism interventions respect human rights, culture and religious diversity.
She said extremist groups had sometimes exploited community grievances, misinformation and feelings of exclusion to recruit young people, adding that stronger partnerships between communities and security agencies were key to preventing radicalisation.
“Communities have now started cooperating with the National Counter Terrorism Centre because they understand terrorism has no religion. Addressing community grievances while respecting human rights and religious freedom strengthens resilience against violent extremism,” she added.
Muema further said the programme engaged institutions including the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) and the National Steering Committee on Peace Building to improve accountability and rebuild trust between citizens and security providers.
She observed that while relations between communities and local security officers had improved through dialogue, there was a need to maintain accountability at all levels of policing.
Search for Common Ground Country Director for Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia Judy Kimamo said the project had contributed to significant progress in promoting religious freedom, peacebuilding and cooperation between communities and security actors in the Boni counties of Garissa, Lamu and Tana River.
“We have seen communities working closely with security actors, improved cooperation among religious leaders, women and young people, and policy shifts that expand the protection of freedom of religion and belief. These achievements demonstrate that collaboration is the foundation of sustainable peace,” said Kimamo.
She said the 22-month project had strengthened early warning mechanisms, supported community participation in policy discussions and encouraged cooperation among religious leaders, women groups and young people.
Kimamo noted that the initiative had also supported discussions around proposed legislation on religious freedom, enabling communities to share their views and submit recommendations to government.
She said more than 200,000 people had been reached through media platforms and community engagements, with lessons from the programme providing a basis for scaling up peacebuilding efforts nationally.
“Peace is built by bringing people together around their shared challenges rather than their differences. Whether it is insecurity, wildlife conflict or development, these issues affect everyone regardless of religion, ethnicity or age, and working together is the surest path to lasting peace,” she said.
The national dialogue brought together representatives from government agencies, Parliament, county governments, civil society organisations, religious leaders and community representatives to reflect on lessons from the project and identify ways of sustaining gains made in promoting religious freedom, human rights and peaceful coexistence.
