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Recruiters of members of violent extremist groups have perennially focused their attention on unsuspecting group of youths who are struggling to eke a living.

At the coast region, many have fallen prey to the illegal recruitment agencies due to poverty, unemployment and backward religious teachings.

Said Muhsin, found himself in such a situation after he was recruited to the outlawed Mombasa Republican Council (MRC) in Kisauni Mombasa.

MCR was linked to calls for cessation of the coastal region in a campaign dubbed ‘Pwani si Kenya’.

“The job I was doing could not sustain my livelihood. One of my friends persuaded me to join the MCR group for easy money, due to my naivety I joined,” he said.

In an interview with People Daily, he says what started as a drive to agitate for the rights of coastal people turned out to be a criminal group robbing people in broad daylight.

At times he says he was into drugs to boost his confidence.

“Recruiters made the deal look so good such that a youth would easily be lured into joining the group, they told us we would be rich if we scared the people who are not coastal natives away,” Muhsin narrates.

He says it was after a police raid at their hideout in Mishomoroni, which saw several members of his group killed, that he made an about-turn on his unlawful activities.

“I felt disturbed and insecure because I was put on police radar. I was later arrested but police found me with nothing to associate me with the crime. I was free. This made me quit all the MRC activities,” he said.  

Muhsin, who surrendered himself to the police following an amnesty issued, says his life changed after meeting Dream Youth Achievers (DAYO), a local youth organization based in Mombasa.

“DAYO was touched by my story and decided to offer me an opportunity to be a peace ambassador under their project. I have managed to recollect myself and live a normal happy life with my wife and two children, “he says.

He adds; “I am now a peace champion and an actor, I have made peace with authorities and neighbors, they are happy with me, I have helped a lot of youth from drugs and crime activities,”

Muhsin has acted in several film productions, having produced Watatu Movie, which premiered in several local stations.

He also acted in the Moyo Swahili Telenovela, which also premiered in one of the leading Tv stations in Kenya

Muhsin’s story is just a drop in ocean since majority of the youth in Mombasa are deep into drugs and substance abuse.

According to DAYO programs Officer Enos Opiyo, the organization has embarked on a series of empowerment projects in Kisauni to suppress crime levels.

“We want young people to get busy so that social vices can be a thing of the past. We know when people are jobless and idle, crime is always high and that is what this program is discouraging,” said Opiyo.

Kisauni Assistant county commissioner Benjamin Birech encourages youth to be agents of change and peace.

“Youth should be agents of peace, we encourage those that are still in criminal activities to come out and become peace champions, we will not have problems with them if they come out seeking to change their lives,” Birech said.