Case study 4: We can do it

1. Introduction

1.1. Role player: We Can Do It

'We Can Do It' (WCDI) was founded in 1998 by Ms Jacqueline Resley, a long-time American resident of Nairobi, who had come to the conclusion that the only way out of Nairobi City Council's service delivery problems was for residents to organise associations to tackle their problems on their own. Not all residential associations had crime prevention as their main objective. Most associations had either (i) deteriorated infrastructure (roads, street lighting); (ii) non-functional services (especially garbage collection); (iii) residential security problems or a combination of each of these problems.

From the newspaper advert that called for people with similar problems to come together, We Can Do It has given birth to over 280 residential associations in Nairobi including, lately, the Kenya Alliance of Residential Associations (KARA), the countrywide umbrella residential association organisation.

1.1.1. Role players' mandate

WCDI sees the role players' mandates as follows:

The Kenya Police Force has the express authority and resources to prevent crime in the country.
Private security companies, business entities who are in the process of doing their business, that is providing security to those who have the ability and will to pay for it, play a role in crime prevention.
WE CAN DO IT (Residents' Associations) coordinates the activities of the residents' associations. The residents associations are driven by the need of the residents to live in clean and safe environments. Due to the failure of the existing systems to curb crime, the residents have now come together with a view to taking responsibility for their own destiny.

1.1.2. Area of jurisdiction

The geographical area of WCDI's operations is limited to the Nairobi Province, which coincides with the City of Nairobi Council's boundaries.

1.1.3. Image

WCDI's scope of work is very wide, therefore security is just one of its components. WCDI did not have definite statistics, but from what each of the associations have been doing in terms of crime prevention in their own areas, there is a feeling that by working together associations are able to solve their own problems. This has led residents to start speaking with one voice on a number of issues including security. WCDI felt that this could be a measure of their achievement and input in crime prevention and contribute to a positive image.

1.1.4. Other role players

The main players, according to WCDI, are the resident associations, private security companies and the Kenya Police.

1.2. Crime prevention mandate

As far as WCDI is concerned, the Kenya Police have the overall mandate in crime prevention. WCDI is registered with the registrar of societies. Therefore the Societies Act governs it. The members of WCDI are the resident/neighbourhood associations in Nairobi. It has the specific aim of encouraging the residents' associations to either join or form neighbourhood associations in their residential places to take responsibility for their problems. Once formed, the neighbourhood associations are encouraged to register with the Registrar of Societies.

1.2.1. Links between national and local crime fighting

WCDI believes that there is a direct link between the two. However, WCDI has concentrated its activities in Nairobi, where all its initiatives are focused. In tackling the crime problem in the city, WCDI considers two important features: crime in the up-market areas and that in the informal settlements. WCDI believes that the residents' associations are complementing the work of the Kenya Police Force and other stakeholders, including the security companies. The associations are expected to get into a working relationship with the police in their own localities. This is done in several ways, including providing transport for use by the police on patrol, building gates and barriers into estates that are manned by armed officers, and so on.

1.2.2. Legal basis of crime prevention

The work of the Kenya Police is based on an act of Parliament.
Private Security firms are formed on basis of satisfying the consumer demand, in this case security. Therefore they are registered as companies.
The work of WCDI (Residents' Associations) is based on their constitutions which are registered with the Registrar of Societies. Their role in crime prevention is very much one that looks at taking responsibility for their own areas where they live, where the government has failed to provide sufficient security.

1.3. Partnership

The structure of the partnerships is shown in the Figure 12 organogram. As can be noted, there are potentially a large number of partners who can be involved at different levels of WCDI and KARA.

Figure 12: The organisational structure of KARA and WCDI

1.3.1. Partner relationships

WCDI senses that generally the partnerships have been successful, though they are more informal in their interactions. However, the biggest problem for WCDI has been institutionalising these partnerships and making them binding.

1.3.2. Functionality of partnerships

WCDI is of the opinion that the existing partnerships have worked to some extent. However, a Memorandum of Understanding was supposed to be signed by the Nairobi City Council detailing the relationships and areas of collaboration with WCDI. At that particular point there was a transition and a new mayor came in who promised to sign the MOU, but this has not happened. Therefore the relationships have not been clearly outlined. Other partners within and outside the association tend to have a superiority attitude and want their ideas to carry the day in most cases.

1.3.3. Elements holding the partnerships together

The following have been identified as important factors binding the partnerships together.

The availability of and access to finance, both local and international, for the execution of the work planned by the organisation
Benefits accruing from the relationships, which are perceived to be very high
A feeling of striving to work against a common enemy.

1.3.4. Frequency of meetings

WCDI meets about once a month, but this tends to be more or less frequent depending on the needs and assignments at hand.

1.3.5. Resource sharing

The resource sharing is mostly focused on finance and expertise. The extent of sharing of these resources is also limited as it will be noted that most partners tend to be in competition, as opposed to working together for the good of all as far as sourcing international donor funding is concerned. Therefore information sharing is at times severely limited, strategic or piecemeal.

2. Crime prevention approach

2.1. Examples of crime prevention initiatives

Several neighbourhood associations have made specific attempts at handling the issue of crime prevention under WCDI coordination. The following are a few examples.

Imara Daima Estate Residents' Association, an 'almost' high income area, rehabilitated their approach road to make their estate accessible in the rainy season and also saved public utility land from 'politically correct land grabbers¹.36 The association also provided funds for repair of police vehicles, which helped intensify patrols within and around the estate. This was as a result of several excuses from the police officers who said they were not able to respond quickly to crimes in the area since they had no transport.
Gigiri Estate is a high-income area, located next to the United Nations Headquarters. The association erected a police post and got the police to man it with 14 officers on a 24-hourbasis. Their aim was to improve security in the area, as although they had paid private security companies to man their security they occasionally had problems with armed robberies.
Ofafa Jericho is a low-income residential area. Its association rehabilitated streetlights which had not worked for over 20 years. Residents contributed a mere KShs 180 to purchase the items required and the Nairobi City Council provided the expertise. The estate also created a security committee that broke up a 40-man gang of thugs which had been harassing residents. By putting up the lights, they were able to monitor the movement of any gang members into the estate and the streets became safer to walk in, especially by those who came home late from work.
Lavington Residents' Association is located in one of the most affluent areas in Nairobi. Its members volunteered to lend their vehicles to be used by police officers for evening patrols in the area. They had previously witnessed a high incidence of motor vehicle hijacking and they felt that having armed officers on patrol would mean that the police would be alerted to any attempts at hijacking, robbery and burglary and would chase the criminals.
Ngara is a former exclusive Asian residential area, now a middle-income business-residential area. It has been grappling with security problems for some time. Despite various attempts to get police patrols in the area, the roads and residential houses were insecure. The residential association now has 20 youths volunteering to patrol the area. They include leaders from the adjacent informal settlement willing to support crime prevention activities. At the time of the field interviews, the association was in the process of rehabilitating or putting up streetlights along Ngara's roads.

2.2. Citywide crime prevention initiatives

The crime prevention approach by WCDI tends to be mainly a combination of the various crime prevention approaches. These include policing and community safety and task forums.

2.3. Philosophy on crime and crime prevention

WCDI's philosophy of crime prevention appears to focus on comprehensive security coverage. By this is meant a system where all stakeholders are working together harmoniously. This includes the use of modern technology to inform and contact the relevant crime prevention forces. It includes the arming of each household with a panic button, a system of zonal panic buttons, viable patrol vehicles, coordination of responses, controls in and out of residential areas, especially at night, collective bargaining with security companies and community policing.

2.4. Meaning of crime prevention

There are three main crimes WCDI is concerned about, and they tend to occur from day to day in the residential areas. These are robberies, theft and physical assault. Therefore crime prevention means addressing these problems with a view to reducing or eradicating them completely.

2.5. Various crime prevention approaches

All the areas are not homogeneous in terms of socioeconomic aspects. This is the main basis for choosing different approaches to crime prevention. WCDI encourages all the approaches to be home-grown, acceptable to stakeholders and participatory in their evolution.

2.5.1. Local development of crime prevention approaches

All the approaches to crime prevention used within Nairobi have been developed by the residents' associations. An example from Kitisuru Residents' Association involves (i) the division of the area into zones; (ii) every house having the same frequency panic button; (iii) coordination of radio contacts, (iv) determining the number of patrol vehicles per zone; (v) a system of security firms and simultaneous contact with guards and the Kenya Police; (vi) coordination with the residential security committee; (vii) the registration of cars as they enter and leave the residential areas; and (viii) the provision of a stand-by emergency ambulance.

2.6. Jurisdiction

The territorial jurisdictions are those of respective residential association areas. These could not be mapped as a number of associations had not mapped their own jurisdictions.

2.6.1. Types of crime targeted by the approach

The main crimes are robbery, theft and physical assault and as already mentioned these are the focus of WCDI in terms of crime prevention

2.6.2. Crimes overlooked by the approach

WIDI considers that all the approaches so far have overlooked crimes that take place within the domestic household.

2.6.3. Crime prevention fit with the Metropolitan Council's vision

WCDI was of the view that there was no clear crime prevention outlook from the Nairobi City Council, as the mandate of crime prevention largely lies with the Kenya Police Force. The City Council's Inspectorate mandate is seemingly limited to by-law enforcement.

2.6.4. Beneficiaries of the approach

WCDI sees the beneficiaries of crime prevention as mainly the residents of Nairobi, as well as the business community, both local and foreign. Planning for crime prevention: the case of the City of Nairobi 66

2.6.5. Territorial jurisdiction of the approach

WCDI has divided the city of Nairobi into 12 zones for ease of administration. The zones are; (i) Dandora, (ii) Kilimani, (iii) Westlands (iv) Karura, (v) Central Nairobi, (vi) Dagoretti, (vii) Mombasa Road, (viii) Langata, (ix) Embakasi, (x) Eastleigh, (xi) Kasarani and (xii) Pumwani. Under each of the above zones are a number of residential associations. The zones and especially the associations tend to be clustered into loosely cohesive neighbourhoods of
residents of a similar socio-economic 'class' Over and above the aforementioned, the WCDI has actively promoted a proposed administrative structure for the city of Nairobi arising from its experiences with residents' associations, dealing with their problems and their interactions with other stakeholders including the Nairobi City Council and the Kenya Police.

2.7. Process

2.7.1. Origins of the process

The crime prevention strategies had their genesis in the residents who saw the need to improve security in their own neighbourhoods, either because they had been mugged or robbed or because their neighbours had had similar experiences. The strategy was driven by the situational imperatives of the residents seeking a safer residential environment.

2.7.2. Role players and the strategy process

The process of incorporating the various role players into the crime prevention strategy took place through invitations and consensus building at meetings.

2.7.3. The catalyst

Individual and collective experiences and statistics showed that the city of Nairobi's security systems were in bad shape. The residents felt a need to take responsibility for their own destiny. Residents organised themselves to this end

2.7.4. The conceptualisation of the crime prevention approaches

WCDI maintains that all role players were involved in the conceptualisation of crime prevention approaches and strategies. It was a participatory approach to the problems of neighbourhoods.

2.7.5. Mediation of priorities

Different priorities were set through participatory approaches and consensus building. Stakeholders who felt they had contributions to make were invited to association meetings.

2.7.6. Start of initiatives

Most of the initiatives began in 1999. Many other initiatives have since taken place. Whilst the WCDI was a Nairobi project, KARA was born out of the preceding efforts.

2.7.7. Origins of initiatives

Jacqueline Resley, a resident who was sick and tired of the city of Nairobi's dysfunctional systems, placed an advertisement in the newspapers in 1998, inviting those who felt as she did to a meeting which led to the formation of the many residents' associations. She is now the Chairperson of WE CAN DO IT.

2.7.8. Strategy design and development

2.7.9. Strategy development

WCDI developed strategies with other stakeholders and supplied prospective associations with a "Your Responsibilities and Rights as a Citizen" booklet as a way of developing their organisational strategies.²

2.7.10. Local models informing the strategy development

There were no local models on which WCDI could base their ideas. The "How to Get Organised" booklet details how to come together and get organised and lists some of the activities one can undertake as a neighbourhood .

2.7.11. Case studies that informed the development of the process

Case studies were derived from participants at zone workshops, i.e. a collection of zonal residential associations which WCDI organised. The participants' proposals played an important role in informing new associations about strategy and viability of ideas and so on.

2.7.12. The role of the city and other role players in this process

WCDI's assumption has been that everyone in Nairobi is a resident, whether working for the City Council, government or business community. In their own capacities they have a role to play in their neighbourhoods where they reside and work. Throughout the process, WCDI has tried to involve the various players in the wider Nairobi society.

2.8. Description of strategy

2.8.1. Crime prevention strategies

WCDI would classify their strategies as mainly situational and social prevention approaches. This follows from the fact that the main reason why they get involved in these activities is to ensure that they live in a clean and safe environment.

2.8.2. Main components of the strategies

WCDI noted the following as their principal components. In terms of security concerns, it was made very clear at all of the recent WCDI workshops that the police could not solve the security problem alone, without substantial help from the residents. It was time to come with some concrete proposals and try them out rather than do more research and talk. The consensus was that Nairobi residents were aware that crime was escalating and there was no need for any more reports to inform them of these facts. What was required was action. The following are a number of common strategy problems and some simple solutions as suggested by WCDI.

2.8.3. Problem: people do not trust the police

There is widespread mistrust and even fear of the police, created by the unfortunate actions of a significant number of corrupt police officers. This makes it difficult for many people to seek police protection even when in danger.

2.8.3.1. Strategic Proposal

Set up a hotline manned by civilians where people can report police misconduct.
Strengthen disciplinary action in the Police Force.
Introduce an identification system that uses conspicuous numbers to enable residents to identify police officers and askaris (NCC police) without having to ask them their names whenever there is an incident of misconduct to report.
Divide the city into 12 regions, and give each region a dedicated security police team to be in place for a minimum of two years. This team would work with the community and become like village policemen.
Ensure that the police take action against offenders without exception. The action should be taken working with the people.
Instead of fining or jailing people who commit minor offences, make them do some sort of community service, for example:
- Litterers could spend half an hour to one hour picking up rubbish around them with a sign around their neck stating "I am a litter bug".
- Matatu (Informal sector transport) who honk their horns and double park could be made to return the passengers' fares and be immobilised for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Churches that disturb the peace and have been warned twice could be shut down for one week. If they continue they should be permanently shut down.
- Loiterers could be made to do community service such as painting public facilities, repairing potholes, picking up rubbish or carrying loads for old people. Any policemen caught letting offenders off should be suspended without pay for a period of time and their services terminated if they are repeat offenders.
Provide the police with a very good working environment. The strategy here is that they will then not wish to lose their jobs. To ensure police loyalty to the community, wherever possible the community should introduce non-monetary inducements. For instance, the association/community could provide better housing, good training, good equipment, or even set up scholarships for their children, provide medical care for their families and so on.

2.8.4. Problem: an insufficient number of police officers

There are approximately 3000 police to 3 million people in Nairobi. Many of the police are deployed for special duties, including guarding VIPs, sentry duties around banks and so on. This leaves most police stations and posts grossly undermanned.

2.8.4.1. Strategic Proposal

Form community security committees: in this strategy residents would be identified to join security teams and plans would be made for their training to enable them to discharge their new responsibilities. It is important that enforcement should always be done very politely and without harassment. The strategy aims to empower the community to appreciate and help these security teams - not hate, fear or undermine
them.
Spread around the area security teams made up of adults, youths and a policeman or reservist and askaris trained to help enforce the laws.
In densely populated areas employ a guard to watch a number of houses or shops at night. This person's main job is to watch what is going on and raise the alarm when the need arises.
Make sure policemen and askaris sent to an area are on duty in that area: Set up a separate special unit for guarding private individuals who should pay for the service.
Recruit police from the communities they serve. Approach respectable religious community leaders in each region and have them put forward the names of men and women who want to join the police force.
Provide sub-police posts in appropriate locations in each region as need arises.
Run training programmes for askaris and security officers on how to become more efficient sentries.

2.8.5. Problem: police difficulties with communication and transport

Police often have no transport, and even when they have a car, there is often no petrol. There is also a shortage of communication radios, and in some instances ammunition.

2.8.5.1. Strategic Proposal

Make a list of what the askaris and police need in Nairobi, and WCDI and other stakeholders can try to raise money as a community effort.
Make use of private security companies already operating in neighbourhoods for police transport.
Have radios strategically placed around the neighbourhoods that report what is going on. These would be in the hands of trained askaris and the community policing teams. For example, when a carjacking occurs the nearest witness to the incident should immediately radio the base and all listeners and explain what has happened, and the make, registration number and colour of the car if possible. All askaris on the route of the carjackers should radio in to help the nearest police unit in the area to intercept them.
In areas where people have their own askaris they should send them to be trained to become part of the overall watch system. When private askaris or people in the neighbourhood become aware of suspicious movement in the area they should report the direction of movement to enable police to waylay and apprehend the suspects. This way, the community uses the huge security force that they privately employ to supplement the police force in the form of lookouts.
Get all the people in the area to agree on a common signal to raise the alarm when thieves strike in the area, for example whistles in densely populated areas and sirens and flashing lights on larger properties.
Have manned barriers strategically placed with radio communication so that any area can be closed down in an emergency.
Get proper transport for each post and use it only for the designated area.
Security companies could supplement the transport with their vehicles by carrying two police or reservists with them at all times. This puts armed policemen at the scene of the crime immediately, rather than reaching them later or calling for them to come in for the investigative work.

2.8.6. Implementation of strategies

The implementation of the various strategies has been described in detail above.

2.8.7. Differing emphases within the strategy

The strategy is fairly uniformly focused on local and business security. There is a feeling that the Kenya Police cannot deliver, and in most cases when there is an attempt to help them, other police frustrate these external efforts. The feeling by the residents is that if they do not take responsibility now, they may soon find themselves with a more serious criminal problem.

2.8.8. The current emphasis within the strategy

The emphasis lies on community participation in assisting the police force and other stakeholders in coming up with workable solutions to the existing range of security problems. It is recommended that more use be made of the City Council askaris, reservists and residents to supplement the police's efforts.

3. Implementation

3.1. The implementation of the strategy

WCDI has proposed an administrative hierarchical structure for the city of Nairobi. Whilst the structure has not been accepted by the NCC, the WCDI nevertheless utilises it to organise and implement its strategies. WCDI's structure assists the formation of residents' associations. The latter in turn are encouraged to take responsibility for crime prevention. In this respect the Association Chairpersons and WCDI coordinate most of the activities.

As part of the implementation of its strategies, the WCDI has in the recent past begun training programmes for a few resident associations with a view to equipping them with the skills to monitor and report their activities efficiently. At the same time WCDI has encouraged democratic principles and accountability in their management.

3.2. Timeframe and resources

WCDI had an initial funding from USAID to the tune of US$ 40 000 in September 2000. In July 2001 WCDI received US$ 70 000 from the Ford Foundation for planned workshops. A further US$ 20 000 was received from the Konrad Foundation. Approximately US$ 30 000 from the Ford Foundation funds had been used at the time of the interview.

3.3. Milestones

WCDI has established a close working relationship with the people, to the extent of taking their photojournalists to the field to interview and record achievements of affiliated associations such as KEMA, Maendeleo Ya Ofafa Jericho
In cooperation with a Mr Pindolia and the Security TFC, WCDI produced "Know Your Civil Rights", a booklet on how to act, and explaining what the police, staff of local government and parastatals can and cannot do in various circumstances. WCDI assisted (through PG) Langata South Residents' Association in a court case in which the officials had been sued for intimidation. The ruling was in favour of the association, with the plaintiff being ordered to stop construction he had started on a storm water drain. Many other such milestones have been attained by a diversity of residential associations throughout Nairobi.

3.4. Sharing of resources

There was insufficient time for the researcher to decipher resource sharing, given the complex interconnections already pointed out or implied herein. WCDI found it difficult under the circumstances to quantify how resources had been shared.

3.5. Implementation of the strategy

3.5.1. The implementation of the crime prevention approaches

Most of the strategies outlined above are now in the implementation phase.

3.5.2. Organisation outlines and the actual implementation roll-out details

There have been a number of changes and deviations from the planned strategies. This is attributed mainly to the diverse needs of different resident associations. WCDI also tried to customize the special needs of each association and to evolve specific solutions for each one.

3.5.3. Functional crime prevention approaches

WCDI was of the opinion that the following had been attained:

Reduction in robberies, as there were now barriers in most residential areas manned by neighbourhood watch
An increase in reporting of crimes in the residential areas to the police
Better cooperation; residents meet from time to time with the local police officers to map out security strategies.

4. Best practice and lessons learnt

4.1. Best practice for crime prevention and lessons learnt

According to WCDI, there are a number of crime prevention strategies that have worked very well. The following two examples were cited as exemplifying what can be achieved.

There is a clear perception by the Lavington Residents' Association that they have reduced crime levels through the participation of their members and by providing vehicles for patrol by the police. They have also set in place networks for communication with the crime prevention stakeholders.
Ngara Residents' Association was recently formed. It has managed to integrate the predominantly Asian and informal settlement residents in the neighbourhood with a view to preventing thefts. The arrangement has worked out very well. The area is slowly becoming a haven of peaceful coexistence of contrasting socioeconomic income groups.

4.1.1. Intra-agency and inter-agency crime prevention

As has been noted, security issues are of great concern. Unfortunately the Police Force has often been perceived as a force which aims to harass the residents as opposed to working with them. On occasions residents have quipped that "it is better to meet a thief in the night than a police officer ". Moreover, since the Kenya Police Force and the National Security Intelligence Service are secretive, information sharing that could assist in crime prevention has not been readily forthcoming.

4.1.2. Recommendations for improved crime prevention WCDI recommended the following:

Residents should be involved in crime prevention; the whole idea is to succeed in combating crime.
The Kenya Police have to change their approach in dealing with the residents so that they are not just looked on as a force but as an organisation people can work with.
The local authorities should have officers trained in crime prevention who will work hand in hand with the police.

4.2. Best practices: major achievements of the approaches

Some of the major achievements of WCDI's approaches have been pointed out in the preceding sections.

4.3. Lessons learnt: the major shortcomings or failures of the approaches

WCDI reckons that the main failures have been in two areas.

The mobilisation of the residents in the informal settlements has proved very difficult.
Because of the economic conditions currently prevailing in Nairobi, as WCDI and residents' associations address one issue in crime another crime issue or issues seems to pop up from nowhere.

4.4. Planning considerations

4.4.1. Nairobi City Council's Planning Department and the existing metropolitan crime prevention strategies

There are ongoing plans for the NCC to consider crime prevention in their planning departments. However WCDI has proposed a new service provision/political structure for the City of Nairobi which not only clusters neighbourhood associations into a hierarchy, but which is linked to the technical and political branches of the Nairobi City Council.

4.5. Benefits for local government

4.5.1. Local authority benefits from this study

WCDI felt that the NCC could use the information from this study in the planning of the city security systems and to harmonize the various contributions being made by different groups in addressing the city's security problems.

4.5.2.Local authority need for improved crime prevention

WCDI was of the opinion that (i) there should be proper training of city council askaris; (ii) corruption should be stopped, as this has been used to cover crimes and suspects; (iii) the officers should receive better remuneration, to the standard of other civil servants; (iv) while patrolling, officers should carry identification badges, IDs or be in uniform; and (v) the City Council askaris should support the Police Force. The police in turn should pass on appropriate levels of crime intelligence.

Notes

The phrase "politically correct land grabbers" is a Kenyan description for land speculators with strong connections in the political establishment. In the 1980s and the 1990s they were notorious for quasi legally, or outright illegally, "acquiring" and hording title deeds of land set aside for public utilities and other Government land and its sale to the highest bidder without any improvements. I describe it as quasi legal because the Establishment allowed loopholes in the law that fuelled this process.
Abdulmalik A, Gichuki T(eds). Your responsibilities and rights as a citizen. WE CAN DO IT (publisher).

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