In 2007, Kenya went to the polls, then to the dogs. The carnage was horrific: 1,500 dead, 3,000 innocent women raped, and 300,000 people left internally displaced. Most of these atrocities happened in the first 14 days after the 2007 general election. The massacre unfolded in a span of 59 days between election day (December 27, 2007) to when a political compromise was reached (February 28, 2008).
The National Dialogue and Reconciliation Agreement was signed in Nairobi on February 1, 2008. The dialogue sought to provide a peaceful solution to the political impasse and violence that had engulfed the country.
A broad political and legal strategy widely known as “Agenda Four” items was laid out. The last agenda was huge. It carried the hopes and aspirations of Kenyans as it dealt with long-term measures and solutions, including constitutional, institutional, legal and land reforms.
It also encompassed addressing poverty, inequity and unemployment (particularly among the youth); consolidating national cohesion and unity; ensuring transparency and accountability; and ending impunity.
But after five years, in 2013, Kenya almost descended into yet another bloodbath. Some experts argue
that the intervention of the International Criminal Court saved the day.
Once again, Kenya is teetering on the brink as the country approaches the polls next year. Civil society organisations say this is the time to get up and save mother Kenya.
Inter-Regional Peace Network, an NGO, is rolling out an aggressive campaign to fight off what is shaping up as an ethnically charged polls in 2017. The organisation hopes to train 5,000 youths as peace ambassadors in over 22 counties considered hotspots, in a campaign dubbed “Beyond Tribe ”.
Here is an except of the interview with IRPN Executive Director Frederick Ogweno
Children stand together after a heavy rainfall at a temporary shelter for around 19,000 displaced people during post-election violence in Eldoret on February, 2008. /FILE
Tell us about “Beyond Tribe ” campaign, which you are launching next month. Why is it important?
Our major concern is how much has been done as a nation to ensure we learn from mistakes of previous elections. Our survey and observations indicate that as we approach 2017 polls, the country is steadily slipping towards the experience of 2007. Politicians are even becoming more reckless with hate speech. The recent incidents of violence during the IEBC reform process, which left over five people dead, hundreds injured and businesses counting losses, are a painful reminder that we haven’t leant. Once again, police were accused of brutality and using excessive force, just like in 2007. Leaflets warning members of certain communities in some parts of the country are again being spotted. All is not well.
“Beyond Tribe”, therefore, aims to prevent election-related violence before, during and after the polls. It intends to create a platform to dialogue with Kenyans and empower the youth to shun ethnic divisions.
Your organisation is keen to prevent ethnic and political violence ahead of the 2017 general election. How do you intend to do this?
Elections do not cause violence, but unhealthy competition for power often exacerbates existing tensions and stimulates the escalations into violence. The “Beyond Tribe” initiative is designed to use the strongest social problem-solving strategies, such as education, workshops,
sensitisation and awareness campaigns targeting the youth from within and outside institutions of learning. As part of solving the unemployment, we intend to work with the relevant government departments and other like-minded organisations to offer mentorship and empowerment programmes to the youth. We intend to train over 5,000 youths as peace ambassadors in over 22 counties considered hotspots. We shall and are already using mass communication channels, such as newspapers, TV programmes, radio and social media, to propagate the message of peace.
Kenya has a constitutional commission mandated to handle cohesion. They seem not to have succeeded. What do you intend to do differently?
I wouldn’t say they have failed as such. This is a matter that cannot be a reserve of a commission only. It calls for a concerted effort from all Kenyans, the government, political actors, civil society organisations and even religious institutions, because it is a question of morality. Our approach is a community-driven initiative. We present the problem to the people and allow them to be part of the solution. We must deviate from a culture of holding peace forums with experts in big hotels in Nairobi and other big towns, paying participants hefty allowances and good lunch, then assuming that we have ended the culture of violence. We must be ready to deal with the root causes of this culture of violence.
Have you identified the hotspots you will concentrate on? And is it backed by research?
After careful analysis of election-related violence in Kenya, we have identified Nairobi, Nyanza, Rift Valley, Coast and Central regions as the most volatile parts of Kenya that deserve the services of the “Beyond Tribe” project. Our gospel is that NO Kenyan should lose his/her dear life or property for anybody to retain or ascend to power, whether at the county or national level, and therefore, we are committed to zero tolerance to such violence.
Apart from the ethnic conflicts related to elections, there are historical clashes, for instance, the Kisumu-Nandi border. Are you also handling such?
Yes, we do. We have both long-term and short-term approaches to such conflicts. Some require economic empowerment, especially where the source of conflict is resources like water and pasture, whereas those politically motivated need political solutions. Ahead of the coming polls, the gospel of unity and love that surpasses tribal differences is a necessity, since tension is already high in some of these areas. The slightest trigger might lead to an outbreak of clashes. We plan to use community radios to reach out to the people and also to conduct workshops with the youth to allow them to own the programme.
What advice would you give to the government in countering ethnic hate?
It should work with other players, such as religious and civil society organisations, to tackle this problem. The state should also stop dragging its feet in implementing the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission report.
How closely are you working with the state?
Very closely, I would say. As an NGO, we are only complementing what the government is supposed to be doing, perharps using different approaches. And I want to thank President Uhuru Kenyatta for being accessible and ready to embrace new ideas. I was recently surprised when I wrote to the President inviting him to the national launch of “Beyond Tribe” as the chief guest, and within three days, we had gotten the response. As we speak, I want to tell you that the office of the President is in full support of this project. We also work where necessary with other relevant government ministries and independent constitutional commissions like the NCIC, the office of the Ombudsman and others.
Do you think county governments have played their roles in fostering national unity?
I would say a big yes and a small no. Equitable distribution of national resources is a key pillar to fostering national unity. Through devolution, we can now see development in various parts of the nation, despite a few challenges. On the other hand, cases of corruption, nepotism
and mismanagement of resources by some county officials is undermining the same gains.
Social media in Kenya today fuels ethnic hate. How is IRPN handling this as the country moves towards the 2017 polls?
We admit that it is currently a serious challenge than ever before in the history of our country. However, social media can also be used to pass on the good news of peace, unity and love among Kenyans. We have already created accounts on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, all with the aim of propagating the massage of peace. We intend to create more blogs to provide the peace-loving Kenyans with more platforms to counter the inappropriate messages.
What is your message to the nation ahead of the 2017 polls?
We all have a duty to ensure we peacefully co-exist as a prerequisite for the development we are all yearning for. Every Kenyan should wake up to the realisation that everything you say, do, post, or imagine about your neighbour can promote or destroy peaceful co-existence. We need to appreciate that all Kenyans are equal and that none chose to be born in a particular place or with certain physical conditions. All we need to do is to embrace one another and take our diversity to be our strength and not our shortcoming.