Implications of Direct Crime of Terrorism Victimization on Stalls in Nairobi Central Business District

Terrorism attacks of late not only target key installations such as government buildings, embassies, and other critical infrastructure, but targets public institutions and individual enterprises characterized by little or no security, such as hotels and business stalls. This study was motivated by the fact that stalls in Nairobi Central Business District were attacked by terrorists in 2011, and no study has ever been conducted to address this attack. The objectives of this study were to examine the factors that expose stalls to the crime of terrorism and counterterrorism measures associated with the prevention of terrorism crimes against stalls. This study used the routine activities theory. This study adopted the descriptive research design that entailed both qualitative and quantitative dimensions of data collection and analysis. Purposive sampling was employed by selecting 120 stall operators, composed of 60 male and 60 female operators from the Nairobi Central Business District, to answer the research questions provided through an interview schedule that captured both open and closed-ended questions. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences and presented using bar charts, pie charts, and tables. Regarding the indirect victimization associated with direct terrorism crimes, 51.3% of stalls operators were of the view that terrorism was intended to sow fear among the public while 44.5% of stall operators were of the view that weak counterterrorism measures contributed to this indirect victimization. Regarding indirect behavioral reactions, the study found that both male and female stall operators associated staying alert to possible victimization with the direct terrorism crimes. However, the study noted disparities between male and female responses with 45% of the female respondents noting that direct crime of terrorism victimization led to them to stay alert to any signs of terrorism while it led to 37.7% of the male respondents to improve on their physical security. The study concluded by noting that there is a need for comparative research into indirect victimization by direct crime of terrorism victimization in various areas and sectors to understand the impact of actual occurrences of terrorism on the lives of individuals and address this by formulating effective behavioral strategies and coping mechanisms as they go about their routine activities.