The Cursed Promised Land? Demographic Risk Factors for Homegrown Extremism in the Squatter Enclaves of Mount Elgon Region of Western Kenya

Abstract

Globally, conflicts are phenomenal and are caused by multivariate risk factors; however, purely land-use-based conflicts are gradually growing and becoming conspicuous. Authoritative studies project that violent conflicts over land and resource distribution are set to be on the upsurge with the African Continent set to bear the greatest brunt. These are set to take homegrown extremist trajectories thereby redefining global, regional, and national counter-violent extremist architecture. This paper sought to investigate demographic risk factors for homegrown extremism in the squatter enclaves of Mount Elgon region. Using a convergent parallel mixed method research design, primary data were collected from 400 households. Study findings on demographic risk factors for homegrown extremism are an antithesis of conventional Euro-American train of thoughts. The results established that that gender (being both male and female), age (being older) and being married posed a high risk factor to homegrown extremism. The paper recommends the need to expedite multi-stakeholder human development needs based approaches in pursuit to reverse the risk of homegrown extremism in the squatter enclaves of Mount Elgon region, Kenya.