Peacebuilder Kupi journeys from Lamu to global stage

Born in Lamu county, along the tense Kenya-Somalia border, Shee Kupi grew up with conflict and terror. In 1992, when he was just seven years old, Somalia descended into civil war, forcing thousands of Somalis to flee into Kenya.

“I witnessed the horrors of conflict and war at a very young age. The atrocities resulting from the Somali civil war and the refugee crisis in Kiunga awakened my desire to become a peacebuilder,” he told the Star.

Kupi attended Kiunga Primary School before joining Khamis High School in Mombasa.

He later pursued a degree in public administration and management at Kampala University in Uganda, graduating in 2008.

He also holds a master’s degree in strategic management from Mount Kenya University.

“I told myself that I would pursue further studies and one day return to my community to help bring peace and develop the marginalised and underprivileged region,” Kupi said.

The 40-year-old father of three is the Lamu county deputy director of public service management and administration.

He has ventured boldly into war zones, including areas dominated by al Shabaab militants such as Basuba, Bodhei, Milimani, Mararani, Kiangwe, Mangai, Kiunga and Ishakani.

He has also actively participated in youth empowerment programmes on the Kenya-Somalia border. Kupi has devoted his life to fostering unity, particularly in the volatile Boni Forest where marginalised communities are largely neglected.

As a human rights activist and peacebuilder, he is also on a mission to establish lasting peace between communities in Kiunga, Kenya, and Ras Kamboni in Somalia.

His efforts have not gone unappreciated. Kupi has received local and international awards, including six prestigious recognitions.

They include the Devolution Warrior Award from the Council of Governors, Humanitarian Award from the Kenya Red Cross in 2023, and the Global International Migration Review Forum Award for outstanding contributions to maritime search and rescue operations.

He was also recognised as a national hero during the 2023 Mashujaa Day celebrations. In 2024, President William Ruto honoured Kupi as a trailblazer for promoting peace and security for women and children.

Last year, Rotary International and a Turkish university announced they would establish a centre offering a professional development certificate programme for peace and development professionals.

Kupi is among 13 professionals selected from 12 countries – Kenya, Jordan, Pakistan, Bulgaria, the US, Israel, Egypt, Bangladesh, Yemen, South Africa, Turkey, and Somalia – to participate in the programme at Bahçesehir University’s (BAU) Future Campus in Istanbul, Turkey.

The professionals will receive academic and fieldwork training to gain theoretical and practical knowledge in peacebuilding and international development.

The training started on February 3. The centre equips community leaders with skills in peacebuilding, focusing on land and identity disputes, climate change, food insecurity, refugee integration and community development.

He went through a competitive global application process and thanked Rotary International. Kupi will spend 10 weeks in Turkey and other regions before returning to Kenya for an additional nine-month social change programme in Lamu county.

It will be implemented through his Department of Public Service Management, which will establish humanitarian and empowerment initiatives.

“I express my utmost appreciation for this opportunity and vow to uphold the values and objectives of Rotary, especially in marginalised and underprivileged areas where climate change, conflict, poverty, malnutrition, poor infrastructure and inadequate healthcare services have devastated living conditions,” he said.

“I envision a future where peacebuilding becomes a way of life rather than just an idea.”

Prof Esra Hatipoglu, rector of Bahçesehir University, where the 13 peace fellows are based, emphasised the importance of harnessing the power of dialogue to navigate polarisation and create a more peaceful, just and interconnected world.

Rotary International president Stephanie Urchick, who spoke in Istanbul, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to global peace.

“We celebrate a significant milestone with the opening of our newest peace centre in Istanbul. This centre will focus on training leaders to address peacebuilding challenges in the Middle East and North Africa, further extending Rotary’s impact,” she said.

“These centres cultivate expertise in conflict resolution, sustainable development and peacebuilding, preparing fellows to tackle some of the world’s most pressing challenges. This programme exemplifies how Rotary turns vision into action, creating a ripple effect of hope and change.”

Dr Geeta Manek, trustee of the Rotary Foundation in District 9212 (Kenya), expressed pride in the first cohort of the programme, which includes a Kenyan pursuing peace and development training in the Middle East.