- The conference comes amid increasing cases of banditry attacks in semi-arid areas and rising political jitters ahead of the August 9 general election.
- Kenya has in the past witnessed post-election violence stemming from highly contested campaigns and disputed results.
Image: JOHN KAMAU
Local universities, government departments and the private sector are gearing up for a major peace conference to be held in Thika town this week.
The conference comes amid increasing cases of banditry attacks in semi-arid areas and rising political jitters ahead of the August 9 general election.
The three-day forum will be held from May 18 to May 20 at Mwai Kibaki Convention Centre at Mount Kenya University main campus, Thika.
Partnering in organising and funding the meeting are diplomatic missions based in Nairobi, the National Cohesion and Integration Commission, University of Nairobi and MKU.
Others are various organisations of the UN and several private companies.
Dubbed the Second International Conference on Peace, Security and Social Enterprise, the meeting aims to provide a platform to dialogue and address pertinent issues on peace, security and social enterprise.
The aim is sustainable development at the global level, especially in Kenya during an electioneering period.
“MKU believes that by all of us joining hands, this conference will make a huge contribution in making not only Kenya but the world to embrace peace and tolerance at all times,"MKU Pro chancellor Dr Vincent Gaitho said.
"I appeal to you that we all join hands to promote a peaceful and a tolerant society.”
Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya is the expected chief guest.
Other notable speakers include NCIC chairman Samuel Kobia, Prof Mark Charlton (De Montfort University), Independent Policing Oversight Authority chairperson Anne Makori, and Kenya’s Ambassador to Belgium Bitange Ndemo.
At a meeting to prepare for the conference earlier this month, MKU vice chancellor Prof Deogratius Jaganyi, represented by Dr Evans Mwiti, decried the cycle of violence which happens every year before and after each election.
“MKU has decided to make contributions to minimise, if not eradicate the impact of such violence during election or any other time,” Dr Mwiti said.
Kenya has in the past witnessed post-election violence stemming from highly contested campaigns and disputed results.
Clashes between members of different communities or ethnicities over limited resources such as water and pasture also remain a disruptive challenge.
“Cultural practices, including cattle rustling, often result in internal displacement of the attacked communities and disrupt their social-economic activities. These practices undermine normal livelihood activities and fuel poverty within communities,” Dr Mwiti said.
Kobia urged Kenyans to embrace the organisation’s election 'Bila Noma roadmap', which focuses on making citizens responsible for peace.
“Universities need to have courses on Article 10 of the constitution and mould our students to be proper citizens of this nation," he said.
"We have created the walls of shame and fame so that we can all as a nation embellish being good citizens focused on peace and to totally shun and shame the bad citizens who espouse hate speech and intolerance.”
Dr Gaitho regretted that Kenya has experienced firsthand consequences of intolerance in several instances, a route that should never be taken again.
“At MKU, we reckon that institutions of learning have an important role to play not only in teaching, but also in imparting values of tolerance, mutual respect and embracing diversity among the youths of this region,” he said.
Earlier last month, conference organisers spearheaded peace walks in seven counties to sensitise local communities on the need to embrace and sustain peace at all times and, more so, during the polls.
(edited by Amol Awuor)