- The 18-month programme which began in March this year is funded by the European Union and targets to reach 447,000 people in Mombasa.
- Uzalendo Africa executive director Anne Rose said they intend to have at least 24 dialogues in the 12 wards.
Image: ONYANGO OCHIENG
A Mombasa community-based organisation, Uzalendo Afrika Initiative, has launched a ‘Kijana Jihusishe’ programme to promote peaceful elections.
The 18-month programme, which began in March this year, is funded by the European Union and targets to reach 447,000 people in Mombasa by June 2023.
It also seeks to strengthen youth leadership capacities for non-violent, free and inclusive polls.
It targets youth, including the marginalised to engage in electoral processes, governance and advocacy in cross-ethnic, issue-based politics and accountability and appropriate conflict prevention and response mechanisms.
Uzalendo Africa executive director Anne Rose told the Star they will position the young people as key partners of peace and electoral processes.
“We are preventing electoral violence by having young people who will act as peace facilitators. They will train and have dialogue with their community on the need to maintain peace during polls,” she said.
She said the project is youth-led.
The programme in Mombasa targets Nyali and Kisauni subcounties, which have been identified as hotspots for violence and crime.
“These are the most volatile areas, we have seen that Kisauni is the mother of all gangs and Nyali happens to be their hideout,” Rose said.
Kisauni has seven wards-Bamburi, Junda, Magogoni, Mjambere, Shanzu, Mtopanga and Mwakirunge.
Nyali has Mkomani, Kongowea, Ziwa la Ng’ombe, Freetown and Kadzandani.
Rose said they intend to have at least 24 dialogues in the 12 wards before the August 9 election.
“We have identified Snake Valley village in Magogoni ward of Kisauni where we will begin the programme. In Nyali, we will begin in Maweni village in Mkomani ward,” Rose said.
On Tuesday, a group of 24 youths drawn from the two subcounties graduated in a ceremony held at a Mombasa hotel.
The youth are expected to hit the ground running as they are set to conduct the dialogue before the August polls.
The organisation is set to have a total of 231 sustained dialogues by June next year.
“The dialogues are not cast in stone, we can have more than 24 planned before August based on the situation on the ground,” she said.
The programme is also being implemented in three other counties of Nairobi, Garissa and Marsabit with the nationwide target of 1.4 million people.
In Nairobi, the lead partner organisation Life and Peace Institute, is targeting 573,184 people.
Other partner organisations include Kesho Alliance in Garissa targeting 280,451 people and Strategies for Northern Development in Marsabit targeting 153,262 people.
“In total, we’re supposed to conduct 924 structured dialogues targeting the mama mbogas, boda boda riders and the youth” Rose said.
They will also strengthen the early warning early response system by working with the District Peace Committees during the election period.
(Edited by Tabnacha O)