The government is assessing preparedness of state agencies and others in the Rift Valley region to handle the August 9 general elections.
County commissioners in the region held meetings with elders, women and youth, focusing especially on peace and unity ahead of the polls.
County commissioner for Uasin Gishu Stephen Kihara says they are also involving religious leaders and security agencies along with the National Cohesion and Integration Commission.
"It’s an all-inclusive process and we are working together with government agency and national secretariat that deals with peace building. We are training the teams on peace building and unity," Kihara said.
He said all peace and cohesion teams had been revived from county to subcounty levels.
“The purpose is to ensure that we go through the polls in a peaceful manner because even after the polls we will remain Kenyans and have to secure the future of our country," the commissioner said.
He said similar meetings and training sessions will be cascaded to the grassroots level so all Kenyans are involved in the process.
"What are just starting because we are going to engage other groups at all levels so we train them on the peace issues, Kihara said.
The county heads will also meet chiefs and assistant county commissioners who coordinate security matters in the region.
The county commissioners will engage youth groups. Kihara said they should not allow themselves to be used by political leaders to cause chaos during the campaigns.
“We urge our elders to help in mentoring our youth so they participate in the elections process but also always keep the peace," he said.
Civil society groups will also be involved in the process of strengthening peace and cohesion in the region.
Governors Jackson Mandago of Uasin Gishu and Stephen Sang of Nandi have recently criticised the NCIC for classifying their counties along with 11 others as a hotspots ahead of the polls.
Mandago last week hosted more than 1,000 elders, community leaders and other opinion leaders at a peace forum in Eldoret. He declared the county was a peace haven where the elections would go on without incident.
Sang accused the NCIC of being insincere by classifying the counties as hot spots without giving reasons.
The two counties chiefs said residents of the region would keep peace and unity regardless of whichever side of the political divide they support.
(Edited by V. Graham)
