The Effectiveness of Multi-Agency Operation Leadership in Mitigating Insecurity in Lamu County, Kenya

There has been much discussion among various stakeholders on the benefits of multi-agency operations in response to security threats. This discussion is constrained, though, in that it downplays the complexity of multi-agency operations. Despite this, several nations, like Kenya, have used a multi-agency approach to deal with challenges related to national security; nevertheless, there is insufficient empirical evidence about the usefulness of this method in reducing insecurity issues. This study aimed to ascertain how well multi-agency operations leadership mitigated insecurity in Lamu County, Kenya. The collaborative advantage theory served as the basis for the investigation. This study used an ex post facto survey research design methodology. The study was carried out in Lamu County with a particular interest in the county's security personnel: an interview schedule and a questionnaire with structured and open-ended questions served as the data-gathering tools. The essential characteristics of the quantitative data gathered were displayed using descriptive statistics, including frequencies and percentages. Thematic analysis was used to create themes by grouping and open coding. The study discovered that multi-agency collaboration leadership successfully reduced insecurity in Lamu County. The study marked these out to address cases of inter-agency rivalry disputes, agency inferiority and superiority complexes, and the necessity to build a shared working policy on the ranking structure for the concerned agencies. The ongoing multi-agency operation has made Lamu County, in general, safer and more stable. Researchers interested in the leadership efficacy of multi-agency procedures are expected to benefit from the findings of this study, as will policymakers in the security sector.


INTRODUCTION
Attacks by alleged Al-Shabaab terrorists from Somalia have increased Lamu County's insecurity level.The first significant attack in Lamu County that required the deployment of multi-agency forces occurred in Mpeketoni town on June 15, 2014, with the loss of 60 lives.As illustrated in Table 1, the attacks have continued despite ongoing multi-agency operations in Lamu County over the past eight years.Since its inception in 1990, authors [6] expanded the practice-oriented Collaborative advantage theory.The theory aims to improve practical comprehension of the organizational issues involved in multi-agency working.Two opposing concepts are crucial to understanding the idea of collaboration: collaborative inertia, which relates to the frequently poor productivity in practice, and collaborative advantage, which deals with the potential for synergy from multi-agency working [6].The theory focuses on the factors that drive collaboration, notably command and control and addresses leadership in the context of multi-agency working.Effective management and control will guarantee that the collaboration's goal is achieved.But the inverse is also accurate.The collaboration's failure to accomplish its goals is caused by ineffective command and control.The collaborative advantage idea has been used to examine complex workplace tasks focusing on various characteristics [3].As a result, it is regarded as a solid theoretical framework for analyzing, understanding, and transforming the multi-agency working practices of Kenyan security services.The collaborative advantage theory anchors the study's specific goal, which is to assess the efficiency of multi-agency leadership in the coordination of efforts to reduce insecurity.
The study's goal is to evaluate the efficiency of multi-agency leadership in coordinating efforts to reduce insecurity.The current research on leadership effectiveness in multi-agency operations has certain empirical limitations.The prior research about the Kenyan context needs more rigorous studies.In the context of multi-agency operations in Kenya, some undiscovered multiagency leadership and coordination topics are crucial and deserving of inquiry.The effectiveness of multi-agency leadership in coordinating actions for minimizing insecurity in the Kenyan setting will be determined by conducting an empirical investigation of these problems.

METHOD
The study used ex post facto design to collect and analyze quantitative and qualitative data.Qualitative and quantitative techniques were predicated on the idea that the mixed method approach amplifies vital aspects and reduces weak points of both qualitative and quantitative methods to conclude the study [1].

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The study aimed to determine how well multiagency leadership coordinated efforts to reduce insecurity in Lamu County, Kenya.Interviews with key informants were done as part of the data collection process, which used questionnaires and descriptive analysis.Ordinal data and a Likert scale with responses ranging from strongly disagree to undecided to agree and strongly agree were required for the five questions.The operationalization of variable leadership included clear command and control, effective resource management, staff motivation, specific goals and objectives, monitoring and evaluation.The results are displayed in the section that follows.The study's findings are presented in Table 2.
Clear Command and Control.The leadership of a multi-agency operation must include clear command and control.The confusion brought on by unclear command and control may prevent the multi-agency process from achieving its goals.When asked if there was clear command and power in the multi-agency operation in Lamu County, the respondents' responses are shown in The results show a distinct chain of command and control in the multi-agency operation.It is crucial for agencies working together to have a clear line of power and authority to ensure the operation's success echoes these results [10].Similar findings stated that specific command and control are necessary when numerous agencies participate in a process [9].
The ranking system of NPS and KDF became a topic of attention during the study on command and control.A respondent claims that when KDF and NPS officials collaborate in a multi-agency setting, it is essential to be clear about which level is equivalent.The NPS officer implied that KDF members think they are better than all NPS members, regardless of rank.For example, the rank badges for a senior superintendent in the NPS are comparable to those for a colonel in the KDF.The NPS Commissioner of Police, one level higher than the KDF colonel, believes he is superior to him in leadership.The respondent added that NPS sends police commissioners to the multi-agency operation in Lamu, where they are supposed to follow orders from the KDF colonel.
Senior NPS officers, who think of themselves as having a higher status than KDF officers, become discouraged.
Proper Utilization of Resources.Resources are the material and intangible things needed to complete a specific task.Consequently, the efficient use of available resources is critical to the success of a multi-agency operation.The respondents were questioned about whether the multi-agency process in Lamu County is properly utilizing resources.According to the study's findings, which are presented in Table 2, the majority of respondents (39.4%) highly agree, while 21.2% agree, 16.3% disagree, 12.3% are undecided, and 10.8% strongly disagree.Over half of the respondents (60.6%) agreed that resources are appropriately used in the multi-agency operation.However, opinions on this point were mixed.
On the other hand, 39.4% of the survey participants disagreed.The element received an evaluation with a mean score of 3.62, indicating that, on average, most respondents agreed that resources are being used appropriately in the multi-agency operation in Lamu County.The data collected had a standard deviation that was slightly above average at 1.417, indicating that the data was dispersed.
The results show that resources are being used effectively in the multi-agency effort.These conclusions are supported by [8], who shared that effective resource management is crucial in multi-agency operations.A similar observation was made by [5], agreeing that resource management should be adaptable while working across sectors.
Multi-agency Staff Motivation.The success of a multi-agency operation depends on the level of energy, commitment, persistence, and inventiveness that employees bring to their work.The driven staff ensures they put in the effort and go above and beyond without being prodded.The responders were questioned about their motivation for performing their tasks throughout the multi-agency operation in Lamu.According to the study's findings, depicted in Table 2, most respondents (40.9%) disagree, followed by 35.5% who are undecided, 13.8% who agree, 5.9% strongly disagree, and 3.9% who strongly agree.
In contrast to this study, when it is clear that most of the staff are not driven, they stressed the significance of staff motivation.Additionally, the author [2] mentioned that in any multi-agency operation, employee motivation should come first.
One of the respondents shared that while it is true that security officers swear to defend life and property, this does not mean that they should put their own lives in danger, mainly when the government does not express its appreciation for their effort.Security officers live in tents deep in the scary Boni forest.Therefore the living circumstances are pitiful, and the operation allowances paid are minute.Officers are not much motivated by their income at all.The author [7] discovered that continuous monitoring and evaluation are crucial for the success of multi-agency operations and reached a similar conclusion.In their study to strengthen follow-up, monitoring, and evaluation, authors [4] also emphasized the value of monitoring and evaluation.

CONCLUSIONS
The study results showed that effective command and control were crucial components of the multi-agency leadership used in Lamu County.Resources were used effectively, and each agency understood the mission and goals of the operation.The multi-agency function in Lamu County was continuously monitored and evaluated.But the multi-agency process in Lamu County needs help with staff motivation, according to study findings.
According to the study, strong leadership and coordination have helped Lamu County increase its insecurity.The impact is seen in a decline in crime, a drop in IED and PSV attacks, and a notable improvement in the travel and education industries.
The author suggests creating a policy framework on involvement when several security agencies are involved in multi-agency operations.This will make the multi-agency process run smoothly regarding command and control.It is also advised that a policy on the harmonization of operation allowances be put into place.

Table 1 -
Suspected Al-Shabaab Activities in Lamu County, Kenya Suspected Al-Shabaab militants detonated explosives in a local pub destroying the wooden structure and damaging the roof.The militants also distributed leaflets to locals warning of more attacks No casualties 18/7/2022 Lamu GSU officers arrested a suspected Al-Shabaab militant and recovered 1 RPG launcher, 1 RPG heat warhead and two booster housings No casualties

Table 2
of the study results.

Table 2 -
Multi-agency Leadership Monitoring and evaluation were estimated with a low standard deviation of 1.255, indicating that the data gathered was clustered around the mean, and a mean score of 4.05, indicating that, on average, most respondents agree that there is monitoring and evaluation in the multi-agency operation in Lamu County.
propriate targets and objectives for any endeavour to succeed and shares similar findings.