Exiting Terrorism: Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Al-Shabaab Returnees in Kenya’s Mombasa and Kwale Counties, 2015-2020

Terrorism has in the 21g century remained a significant threat to world peace. Terrorist groups like Al Qaeda have for decades targeted thousands of men and a significant number of women, wooing them to leave their homelands and join their fight. The imminent threat of returning Foreign Terrorist Fighters (FTFs) keeps growing, creating the need for a more comprehensive counter terrorism approach that covers rehabilitation and reintegration of returnees. In 2015. Kenya announced an amnesty and reintegration program for civilians who had crossed to Somalia to join the Al-Shabaab then came back home. This study sought to look at how these returning fighters are reintegrated under the Terrorism Amnesty and Reintegration Program in Kenya, with a focus on Mombasa and Kwale counties. A mixed methods research was carried out with the main methods of data collection being key informant interviews and use of questionnaires. This study found out that the issue of returning FTFs is indeed considered a key threat in the security of the country and there are a number of government efforts to address this. However, the efforts are marred by a lack of proper legal frameworks and policies to effectively handle the returnees. The study further establishes that returnees, while they appreciate the economic incentives that come with getting an amnesty, lack other basic support like psychosocial care and community support to facilitate their reintegration. There is also a lot of mistrust and lack of coordination amongst various stakeholders including the community, security agents and government institutions. This study contributes to the existing literature on practices of rehabilitation and reintegration. The findings, when advanced, and recommendations implemented. will help chart proper rehabilitation and reintegration programmes to avert the threat posed by returning FTFs.