Kenya Programme Peace Initiative

Consolidating the peace process and establishing peaceful foundation for a successful political transition in Kenya

ACORD Kenya in partnership with UNDP Kenya has been working with women across the country geared towards mobilizing communities and Kenya at large towards a peaceful election. Acknowledging that in conflict situations women and girls are among the worst affected, the programme has been seeking to enhance their role in peace-building processes, conflict prevention and activate their participation in decision making processes at all levels.

The programme targeted women in political parties and women traditional leaders championing peace in their respective communities. They were trained on various peace building and conflict prevention skills, in particular: understanding early warning alerts and early response mechanisms and conflict mediation skills.

A group of women leaders section of both groups was selected and were taken for a learning tour to Rwanda to learn from the country which has risen above the shadows of the 1994 genocide in almost all aspects of life: social, economic, political and most important re-establishing and redesigning their justice system/structures. The women had an opportunity to interact with commissioners in the National Commission for the Fight Against Genocide, (CNLG) implementing the recommendation from the Gacaca Courts, which have since closed and are working to ensure genocide never recurs again. The National Unity and Reconciliation Commission (NURC) is tasked with national reconciliation and cohesion while the Rwanda Women Parliamentarians forum and Ministry of Gender and Family promotion propagates strong family units and values as a basis for a healthy nation.  The Women Association at Karama Huye “Ubutwaribwo Kubaho women Association” has been able to achieve a high degree of reconciliation and unity to ensure the younger generation does not contemplate vengeance for their families.

The tour built a momentum for the women who participated, they were challenged to take an active role in peace-building processes; both at national level and community level. At community level, they have and are still undertaking many initiatives geared towards mobilizing their respective communities to embrace peace and coexistence especially in the mapped-out hotspots. Such include: the peace meetings held with community leaders in the informal settlements in Nairobi (the Mathare slums), community meetings in Uasin Gishu seeking to help communities forster peaceful relations at their level, community meetings in Nakuru, Mombasa, Kisumu, Tana Delta, Turkana, Pokot, Bungoma, Trans-zoia, Embu among others.

At national level the women were able to come together and develop a petition call for a peaceful election and copies of the petition were presented to the Parliamentary Peace and Security Committee, the National Cohesion and Integration Commission and the National Steering Committee on Peace and Security. The team has also played a key role in  joint activities undertaken by like-minded organisations, such as the Gender Festival 2012 whereby ACORD was the lead organization for the Unfinished Agenda: Issues of peace and reconciliation during the break away sessions. They also participated in  the Mama Kenya Campaign calling on Kenyans to embrace peace during this electoral period “Mama Kenya: Dumisha Amani, Tunza Kenya”.

ACORD is committed to realizing a which lives harmoniously and is able to resolve its differences through non-violent methods. ACORD look at peace-building as a holistic approach which shall provide long-term responses to the consequences of  conflicts as well as address the root causes of those conflicts. 

                                                                                                  Peace building learning tour to Rwanda with Kenyan women aspirants 

As Kenyans await election results and this historic moment unfolds, peace and democracy must prevail for a just and equitable society conducive to social justice and development.

Amani! Peace!

Read more about ACORD’s peace building work in Kenya