& Commemoration of the International Day of Peace, 2011

Transcription

1 Report of the National Peace Forum & Commemoration of the International Day of Peace, 2011 Kenyatta International Conference Centre, Nairobi 20th 21st September Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace, 2011 i

2 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace, 2011 Kenyatta International Conference Centre, Nairobi 20 th 21 st September A Publication of the National Peace Forum ISBN X 2012 ii Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace, 2011 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace, 2011 iii

3 List of Abbreviations CEWARN Conflict Early Warning and Response Mechanism CPMR Conflict Prevention Management and Resolution DPC District Peace Committee EAC East African Community FKE Federation of Kenya Employers GPFF Global Peace Festival Foundation ICGLR International Conference on the Great Lakes Region IDP Internally Displaced Person IEBC Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission IGAD Inter -Governmental Authority on Development KACC Kenya Anti- Corruption Commission KAM Kenya Association of Manufacturers KEPSA Kenya Private Sector Alliance KNDR Kenya National Dialogue and Reconciliation KNFP Kenya National Focal Point on Small Arms and Light Weapons MCK Media Council of Kenya NEMA National Environment Management Authority NCIC National Cohesion and Integration Commission NSC National Steering Committee on Peacebuilding and Conflict Management MOJNCCA Ministry of Justice, National Cohesion and Constitutional Affairs MYWO Maendeleo Ya Wanawake Organization NCGD National Council for Gender and Development PEV Post-Election Violence RECSA Regional Center on Small Arms SALW Small Arms and Light Weapons SSR Security Sector Reforms UN United Nations UNDP United Nations Development Programme UNIC United Nations Information Center UNPoA United Nations Programme of Action against Small Arms and Light Weapons UNSCR United Nations Security Council Resolution Table of Contents List of Abbreviations...iii National Anthem...vi Foreword... vii Executive Summary...ix CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION...x 1.1 Overview of the National Steering Committee...x 1.2 Why the National Forum?...xi 1.3 The National Peace Forum... xii 1.4. Objectives of the Forum Areas of Focus Target groups Organization of the Forum Outputs of the Fora... 2 CHAPTER TWO: PRESENTATIONS AND DELIBERATIONS ON PEACE AND SECURITY... 3 The Status of Peace and Security in the Country... 3 Analysis of the Structural Factors Driving Conflicts in Kenya... 5 Major Findings of the Study... 6 Major Causes of Conflict... 7 Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution Framework... 8 The Extent and Magnitude of Proliferation of Illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons in Kenya...10 The Status of Small Arms and Light Weapons in Kenya...11 Towards a Conflict Prevention Strategy and Strategic Leadership Agenda for 2012 and Beyond: UWIANO Platform for Peace...16 Scenario Building for Kenya...16 Best Case Scenario...17 Middle case /Croan Zone...18 iv Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace, 2011 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace, 2011 v

4 Worst Case Scenario...18 Outcome of Focus Group Discussions (Syndicates)...19 Role of Media in Peace and Security...20 Peace and Security...21 Peace and Religion...22 The Private Sector in Peace and Security...24 Women, Youth and Peace...24 Transitional Justice: Promoting Accountability for Durable Peace...27 PART TWO: The International Day of Peace...27 Statement by Minister of State for Provincial Administration & Internal Security, Prof.) George Saitoti, EGH, MP...38 Statement by Hon. Mutula Kilonzo, EGH., MP., Minister for Justice, National Cohesion and Constitutional Affairs:...38 Remarks by Mr. Francis T. Kimemia, CBS., Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of State for Provincial Administration and Internal Security:...40 Mr. Gichira Kibara, EBS: The Ag. Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice National Cohesion and Constitutional Affairs:...40 CHAPTER 3: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS...43 Overall Recommendations...43 Recommendations for Control of SALW...44 Recommendations to the Private Sector...46 Recommendations to the Media...47 Recommendations to the Peace and Security Sector...48 Recommendations by the Religious Sector...49 Recommendations for enhancing Peace and Security for Women and the Youth...50 Recommendations to enhance Transitional Justice...52 ANNEXURES...54 The National Anthem Ee Mungu nguvu yetu Ilete baraka kwetu Haki iwe ngao na mlinzi Natukae na undugu Amani na uhuru Raha tupate na ustawi. Amkeni ndugu zetu Tufanye sote bidii Nasi tujitoe kwa nguvu Nchi yetu ya Kenya Tunayoipenda Tuwe tayari kuilinda Natujenge taifa letu Ee, ndio wajibu wetu Kenya istahili heshima Tuungane mikono Pamoja kazini Kila siku tuwe na shukrani O God of all creation Bless this our land and nation Justice be our shield and defender May we dwell in unity Peace and liberty Plenty be found within our borders Let one and all arise With hearts both strong and true Service be our earnest endeavour And our homeland of Kenya Heritage of splendour Firm may we stand to defend Let all with one accord In common bond united Build this our nation together And the glory of Kenya The fruit of our labour vi Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace, 2011 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace, 2011 vii

5 Message from the NSC Co-ordinator The International Day of Peace, also known as the World Peace Day, is commemorated annually on 21 September. It is dedicated to peace, and specifically the absence of war. It is observed by many nations and people the world over. In 2011, the commemoration of this important Day was held with the theme: Sustainable Peace: A Role for All Kenyans. This spirit is born from the National Peace Forum which is provided for in the Draft National Peace Policy which also spells out the need to institute county peace forums. The National Peace Forum is a platform that provides space for a wide range of actors for consultation, collaboration, co-operation and co-ordination of matters related to peace and conflict. The forum brings together representatives from the Government, United Nations agencies, and private sector, Civil Society Organizations and development partners. Other stakeholders inclusive of representatives from the grassroots participate and freely organize themselves in the promotion of peace in Kenya. It is envisaged that the National Peace Forum be an annual event to be observed by the Government and People of Kenya. The National Peace Forum also provided a platform to share best practices, engage in partnership building and social integration, and identify ways in which Kenyans can address their internal challenges without resorting to violence. Participants focused on various themes, including transitional justice, peace and security, media and peace, the role of the private sector in peace building, and religion and peace. The 2011 National Peace Forum being the first of its kind to be held in Kenya preceded the commemoration of the International Day of Peace on 21stSeptember Its unique timing was significant, as Kenya marked milestones the country has made so far as well as set platform for appreciating our diversity as a country in preparation for peaceful campaigns and elections in 2012/2013. This Report provides highlights of these two major events. Acknowledgement The commemoration of the International Day of Peace together with the National Peace Forum in 2011 would not have been a success without the invaluable contribution by the Government of Kenya through the Ministry of State for Provincial Administration and Internal Security (MOSPAIS), other Government agencies, Development Partners, Regional and International, Embassies, Faith Based Organizations, Civil Society Organizations and individuals. Of special note is the Minister of State for Provincial Administration and Internal Security, Hon. (Prof.) George Saitoti,EGH,MP., for providing political leadership and gracing the occasion; Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of State for Provincial Administration and Internal Security, Mr. Francis T. Kimemia,CBS., and the entire headquarter staff for their contribution and moral support. Similarly, we extend our gratitude to the Minister for Justice, National Cohesion and Constitutional Affairs Hon. Mutula Kilonzo, EGH,EBS,MCIArb,SC,MP; Ag. Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice, National Cohesion and Constitutional Affairs, Mr. Gichira Kibara,CBS; Vice Chair of NCIC, Ms. Mary Onyango; the Co-Chair of the Global Peace Festival Foundation (GPFF), Dr. Manu Chandaria, OBE,EBS., and Dr. Ozonnia Ojielo for gracing the occasion. The operations of the NSC are characterized by the spirit of partnership with key stakeholders and remains faithful to the wider partnership. We therefore wish to extend our gratitude to our Partners that include UWIANO Platform for Peace, UNDP, GIZ-CPS, Institute for Peace and Security (ISS), GPPF, SIDA, PfPS for their moral, technical and financial contribution. A special vote of thanks goes to our entire staff at NSC, UWIANO Platform for Peace, PfPS, Peace Committees, Peace Monitors, Field Monitors, Interns and Volunteers for their immense support and contribution that made the events a success. And to all the Members of the Planning Committee, we thank you for a job well done. To all the Resource Persons ably led by Prof. Macharia Munene, Dickson Liyayi Magotsi, Dominic Pkalya Ruto, Manasseh Wepundi, Kiarie Njuguna, Milka Chepkirui; and the Panelists, Discussants, Moderators and Participants, we thank you for your immense contribution and intellectual prowess. To all those who contributed to the success of these events and not necessarily mentioned by name in this Report, muchos gratias! Thank you all and God bless. S.K. MAINA, EBS., NATIONAL CO-ORDINATOR NATIONAL STEERING COMMITTEE ON PEACEBUILDING AND CONFLICT MANAGEMENT viii Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace, 2011 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace, 2011 ix

6 Executive Summary The National Peace Forum and commemoration of the International Day of Peace was organized by the National Steering Committee on Peacebuilding and Conflict Management and co-funded by various partners including the UWIANO Platform for Peace, National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) and the Partnership for Peace and Security (PfPS). The objective of the national peace forum was to provide space for a wide range of actors to consult, collaborate and cooperate on matters of peace and security. The forum brought together government agencies, civil society, private sector, international and development partners. Key note speeches were delivered by the Minister of State for Provincial Administration and Internal Security, Minister for Justice, National Cohesion and Constitutional Affairs, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of State for Provincial Administration and Internal Security, Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice, National Cohesion and Constitutional Affairs, Vice-Chairperson of the NCIC and UNDP Senior Peace and Development Advisor. Presentations and discussion revolved around six topical issues namely; the role of women, youth in peace and security, the private sector, transitional justice, media, religion and peace, security and peace. The major thrust of the presentations emphasized on keeping the reforms agenda in the country in motion, implementation of the new constitution and the various security sector legislations and policies. The presentations focused on what different stakeholders are doing to maintain peace and security in the country such as advocacy through text messaging, management of SALW, mapping conflicts, coordinating peace activities, building capacity of District Peace Committees (DPCs), enacting legislations and implementation of relevant policies. A number of recommendations were made in the different focus areas. Foremost is the need to sustain the peace efforts and activities that are taking place in different parts of the country. There is a need to enhance the devolution process in the Counties and to finalize the reforms of the judiciary. Establishing the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC is a top priority, among other reform processes that have implications on the peace and security fronts. Emphasis was also put on the media exercising a sense of responsibility when reporting conflict situations. They should be well versed in human rights and gender sensitive reporting. There is still a need for the country to come to terms with the past through the TJRC, ICC and other transitional justice mechanisms. It was emphasized that all stakeholders have a role to play in ensuring these processes do not become drivers of conflict and divide the nation, but become opportunities for nation building, national cohesion and integration. Comprehensive measures for dealing with SALW proliferation have been proposed. Chapter One: Introduction This section provides information on the National Steering Committee on Peace building and Conflict Management (NSC), the National Peace Forum, objectives of the forum and the origin of the International day of Peace. 1.1 Overview of the National Steering Committee NSC was established in 2001 within the Office of the President, and became operational in November 2002 with the placement of a Secretariat. It brings together representatives from relevant Government Ministries and Departments, umbrella civil society organizations, development partners, and UN agencies. The National Steering Committee on Peace building and Conflict Management (NSC) is charged with the coordination of peace activities in Kenya. It also doubles up as the Conflict Early Warning and Response Unit (CEWERU) for the Conflict Early Warning and Response (CEWARN) Mechanism for IGAD. Since the establishment of NSC, a lot has been undertaken and achieved by various state and non-state actors towards sustainable peace, security and development in Kenya: Developed a comprehensive Draft National Policy on Peace building and Conflict Management that is envisaged to inform peace processes in Kenya; Developed a complementary 5 year Strategic Plan for the period 2008/12 on the above; Established, streamlined and formalized operations of community based peace structures in districts; i.e. District Peace Committees, Peace and Field monitors; Developed a Training Resource Guide on Conflict Prevention and Transformation, Standard Guidelines and Terms of Reference (TORs) for Peace Committees in 2008; Facilitated community peace dialogues, reconciliation and social contracts for cohesion among communities in conflict such as; Pokot, Turkana, Samburu and Somali Continued to fundraise for peace and SALW related projects Domestication and implementation of the international, regional and sub-regional instruments ratified by Kenya; UN Programme of Action, UNSR 1325 on Women Peace and Security, ICGLR Pact on Peace, Security and Stability, IGAD-CEWARN Mechanism, and other strategies within EAC framework. Developed and established a National Framework on Conflict Early Warning and Early Response; Strengthened experience shared through study/familiarization tours in Ghana, Rwanda, Somaliland, Chicago, and Brazil; Undertook research and survey on peace and conflicts from various dimensions; Trained and developed capacity for over 2000 stakeholders in small arms, peacebuilding and conflict x Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace, 2011 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace, 2011 xi

7 management where administrative officers, law enforcement agencies, civil society organizations, faith-based organizations, private sector and media benefitted. This was done between notwithstanding previously trained actors; and Conducted a consultative forum for peace, security and development of ASAL regions in 2008 and 2009 for members of parliament. Central to these achievements is the clear mandate, leadership and coordination of all stakeholders working towards the same goal. Notwithstanding the diversity and dynamism of peace and conflict management, actors within and beyond the borders have worked together under the leadership of NSC on issues related to mediation, negotiation, development intervention, arms control, cultural events and advocacy with success. Best practices and lessons learnt have been adopted to refine the initiatives and interventions towards the attainment of peace. Peace and security is a key pillar for national development and stability towards realization of Kenya s Vision 2030 and the Medium Term Plan of Why the National Forum? NSC together with other partners were committed to convening the National Peace Forum in part fulfillment of the standard guidelines for peace structures; implementation of the draft national peace policy as well as providing a platform for dialogue among Kenyans. There are numerous actors in peace building and conflict management in Kenya. Dr. Ozonnia Ojielo, Senior Peace and Development Advisor to the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, and Chief Peace Building and Conflict Prevention; UNDP, Kenya (right) and Ms. Mary Onyango, the NCIC Vice-Chair deliver their speeches This platform provided space for interaction; experience sharing; networking and documentation of lessons learnt and best practices. Acknowledging that Kenya has a New Constitution that was promulgated in 2010, this Forum also made contribution towards building synergy among the actors in developing a strategic leadership agenda for 2012 and beyond. It is highly likely that the next general elections under the New Constitution shall be held in 2012 thereby ushering the country into a new system of governance. This Forum therefore provided space for re-thinking County and proposing how the peace agenda will be conducted at both national and County Government level. The national theme for these events was: Sustainable Peace: A Role for All Kenyans, Amani Ya Kudumu Jukumu la Kila Mkenya. The national theme and rallying call were drawn from the international theme Peace and Democracy: Make Our Voice Heard. 1.3 The National Peace Forum As stated in the Draft Peace Policy, the National Peace Forum is a platform envisaged to bring Kenyans to an environment of consultation, collaboration, co-operation and co-ordination of its internal and external peace. The forum brought together representatives from the Government, United Nations agencies, and private sector, Civil Society Organizations and development partners. Other stakeholders include representatives from the grassroots. The forum is envisaged to be held yearly while the county and districts forums will be held as per the respective governments. The National forum that was held in 2011 was the first of its kind to be held in Kenya. It preceded the commemoration of the International Day of Peace 2011, 21 st September Its unique timing was significant, as Kenya was marking the milestones the country has made so far as well as setting a platform for appreciating our diversity as a country in xii Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace, 2011 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace, 2011 xiii

8 preparation for peaceful campaigns and elections in It was co-funded by the NSC, NCIC, PfPS and UWIANP Platform for Peace. In particular, PfPS supported the facilitation of the six thematic groups including identification of the facilitators and moderators Objectives of the Forum The two day events was aimed at promoting partnership building; information sharing; networking for effective conflict management and peacebuilding; enhance social integration and participation in peaceful democratic processes and reforms among actors Areas of Focus Presentations were made and group discussions were held around documenting experiences, lessons learnt and best practices around the following areas: Overview of peace status in the country; Transitional justice; Peace and Security; Role of Media in Peacebuilding and Conflict Management; Private Sector in Peacebuilding and Conflict Management; Women and Youth in Peacebuilding and Conflict Management; Linking Religion to Peacebuilding and Conflict Management; 1.6. Target groups As a national event, stakeholders were invited from the 47 counties cutting across the state and nonstate actors. These included: Government Ministries and agencies, the private sector, the civil society organizations, research institutions, women organizations, interfaith groups, youth media, the academia, development partners, the peace structures, national commissions, regional organizations and the public. Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace,

9 1.7 Organization of the Forum The event covered two days as follows: Day 1 brought together about 300 participants for discussions on issues detailed under the thematic areas above. Participants at the Forum: Day 2 was open to more participants including members of the public in commemorating the International Day of Peace. This was attended by Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, local and international organizations, Commissioners, Private sector representatives, peace committee representatives, CSO, CBOs, FBOs, NGOs, and the general public. The event was also covered live by Kenya Television Network (KTN). The KTN Outside broadcast Crew contributed to the live Coverage of the event Chapter Two: Presentations and Deliberations on Peace and Security This section presents the outcome of the national peace forum deliberations on peace and security in the country, at the plenary, focus group discussions and key note speeches delivered during the commemoration of international day of peace. The Status of Peace and Security in the Country The National Peace Forum was meant to provide a forum for national reflection and stock taking bearing in mind the 2007/8 post-election violence, the coming 2012 General election and sustainable peace in Kenya. This was an opportunity to envision and construct a shared future. The forum provided a platform for both state and non-state actors from all over the country to share best practices, engage in partnership building and synergize efforts on social integration, as well as to identify ways in which Kenyans can address their internal challenges without resorting to violence. There were plenary presentations and panel discussions that focused on the status of peace in the country; and other thematic areas such as transitional justice, peace and security, the role of various actors in relation to peace building and conflict management such as media, the private sector, religion, women and youth. These discussions are expected to inform the development and implementation of a strategic leadership agenda for 2012 and beyond, in view of the next general elections and the need to sustain the reform processes in the country. Prior to these events, media publicity was conducted with talk shows being conducted by partners on electronic media. Print as well as broadcast media also transmitted peace messages to the public. 1.8 Outputs of the Fora The event produced the following results: - i. Provided a platform for national dialogue; ii. Evaluated the Country s peace and conflict status; iii. Institutionalized commemoration of the International Day of Peace; iv. Promoted a culture of national dialogue and peace in Kenya. Participants in Group work sessions. Kenya is undertaking a comprehensive peace building process that brings together Government agencies, Civil Society Organizations, Faith Based Organizations and Academia. The National Peace Forum is a global and novel idea and it assumes different dimensions in different countries. Usually it is organized during wars and civil conflicts to discuss future political and socio- 2 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace, 2011 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace,

10 economic dispensation. The national forum sets the foundation of negotiating for the desired future. In other contexts it is a forum for national dialogue where other channels have failed. In the early 1990s there were national peace conferences to discuss the future of the African one party state transition to multiparty democracy. This occasion demonstrated that Kenyans have learned from the reactive approach to the 2007/8 postelection violence. Before and after the Referendum of 2010 there was more informed approach to conflict prevention and management in Kenya. Many stakeholders including government agencies and CSOs conducted training, capacity building, peace building, meetings and advocacy in a proactive approach. Kenya already has a peace building infrastructure including the National Steering Committee for Peace building and Conflict Management (NSC), whose membership includes government agencies, CSOs, the private sector and development partners. Participants during the peace procession from Uhuru Park to KICC There is a relatively well established Early Warning and Early Response mechanism in Kenya where there is free reporting of incidences such as using SMS Amani Kenya108. This system enables reports from DPCs and conflict monitors in the field to reach the relevant stakeholders efficiently. Use of social media such as facebook and twitter and other multi-media messages is also taking place. Peace actors must be part of the analysis and response of conflicts. The capacity for national monitoring and response is in place such as DPCs and District Security Committees. Transformation of relationships and mediation coming after the emergency response; is also being done by the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) among other players. There is a need to understand peace beyond absence of violence. The 2012 Post Election Violence (PEV) was not unexpected in Kenya but most actors did nothing. The Uwiano success story during the referendum was borrowed and used successfully during the Uganda elections. There are a number of drivers of conflict in Kenya such as historical injustices, inequality, space to be heard (youth, women), national elections and devolution. Transitional justice is taking place through ICC, security sector reforms such as vetting of the police and judges. Though the Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission has experienced a number of problems; it has collected more statements than any other truth commission in history. Kenya has the most developed peace building infrastructure in Africa but it is usually taken for granted. The country can no longer take peace for granted. Peace making between communities is more successful than sending security officers to quell clashes. Kenyans are learning that peace is the most precious commodity. Peace is paramount for not only peace and socio-economic development but for future generations. This forum is extremely important for building long term peace and security. The participation and the seriousness with which participants have taken the issue of peace are commendable. DPCs should be given more capacity for long term peace in this country. The outcome of these discussions will form the basis and guideline for peace actors and peace makers in the country. The prevailing willingness and capacity to manage conflicts is a big asset for the country. Empowerment of the people will free the masses from manipulation by politicians. The forum was informed that the UN system is supportive of the national course as enshrined in the Kenya s Constitution, Vision 2030 and Medium Term Framework. The UN Information Centre (UNIC) launched a campaign to encourage Kenyans to share messages of peace through their mobile phones by sending the word peace to The campaign was officially launched on 13 September and runs until 31 October This will culminate in a ceremony on 10 November 2011 to appreciate those who will have participated and partnered in the venture. The UN in Kenya notes that there are two countries in Africa that have a fully developed infrastructure for peace Kenya and Ghana. Kenya is way ahead of Ghana s peace infrastructure, and this illustrates the government s leadership and all stakeholders who have contributed to this. It was mentioned that it is important to take stock of Kenya s ranking in the Global Peace Index, which ranks 153 countries around the world. Kenya was ranked 91 in 2007; 119 in 2008; 113 in 2009; 120 in 2010; and 111 in It is significant to note that Kenya s peace status in 2007 was much better than it is in This should send stakeholders in peace and security to the drawing board. Analysis of the Structural Factors Driving Conflicts in Kenya In an effort to understand the conflict dynamics in Kenya, the National Steering Committee on Peacebuilding and Conflict Management (NSC) in collaboration with UNDP Kenya, commissioned a national conflict mapping and analysis in June The study was conducted throughout the country between June and September Source: 4 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace, 2011 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace,

11 Major Findings of the Study This national study examines the core factors contributing to conflict from a multi-dimensional perspective with a view to provoking systemic action that would promote peace. The conflict mapping and analysis was comprehensively undertaken within the six thematic foci of political, security, economic, legal, socio-cultural and environmental. In general, a majority of respondents (30%) believe that politics contributes the most to conflict followed by security concerns. Source: Report of the National Conflict Mapping and Analysis, 2011.NSC, Nairobi The most striking observation in the findings above was the relatively low prominence awarded to environmental degradation as a cause of conflict. However, the reality of the nexus between environmental degradation and conflict provides for grim prospects. As a fairly new construct in understanding conflict, environmental causes are often overlooked or indistinguishable from other more traditional causes of conflict. Environmental concerns are mostly neglected in the sense that they are not considered to be an important cause of conflict and this is reflected in the research findings with less than 5% considering the environment to be a contributor to conflict. Conversely, with the added impact of climate change in accelerating environmental degradation already caused by man, there is every indication that environmental conflicts will abound as natural resources continue to diminish. Major Causes of Conflict This study demonstrates the centrality of ethnicity and its politicisation in conflict: 50% of respondents believe Kenyan politics is influenced by ethnicity. This study s posits that politics is the fulcrum around which all the other forms of conflicts are anchored though there is a great inter-play between politics, legal, security, economic and environmental factors. Ethnicity has been politicised by elites who are accused of sowing divisions. Formation of ethnic alliances, politicising the formation of electoral and administrative units, all coupled with electoral violence have been major aspects of ethnic dimensions of political conflicts. Majimbo rhetoric during past elections has been known to feed conflict, while creation of Counties is bound to create new fronts for conflict, with variations as to whether the Counties are homogenous or heterogeneous. For instance, in Trans Mara, there is a persisting concern that the battle for political dominance between the Maasai and Kipsigis groups might fester into worse conflict. Further, marginalisation of communities has fed apathy, particularly in the predominantly pastoralist northern Kenya. In this way, the state has been an instrument of balkanization through the personalisation of political power. Worse still, the weakness of the political party system, characterised by poor internal party democracy, defections and wrangles further foments conflict. Parties alliance-seeking habits, often informed by ethnic calculations, cement a divisive and conflict generating political dispensation. Incitement and/or propaganda, be it in political or localised inter-group dynamics, was viewed by 53% of respondents to be contributing to conflict. The strongest interface between politics and security is in the political instrumentation of organised gangs that are often the primary actors in electoral violence. Whereas most respondents (40.3%) do not consider organised gangs as critical contributors to conflict, a significant proportion feel that they contribute to conflict to a great extent (14.4%), moderate extent (19.9%) and to a little extent (25.3%). Security concerns extend to property and general safety. Most respondents (48.5%) felt their land and property is not safe. This fear is especially more pronounced in Coast. An even bigger proportion (63.7%) said they are not safe on roads or highways. But 60.7% felt that they and their families were safe while 53% felt that their neighbourhoods were safe. With regard to the role of security agencies in addressing conflict, 44.9% felt law enforcement agencies are effective to a large extent while 34% felt the contrary. On a slightly positive note, arguably connected to the current extensive police reform process, 37% of respondents said community policing is effective with 27.8% saying it is not. Socio-cultural factors contributing to conflict include the predominant view (40% of respondents) that ethnic and/or clan differences contribute to conflict. This is reinforced by the fact that ethnicity has dictated most facets of Kenyan life such as resource allocation and politics. Despite traditionally being a relatively low key conflict factor, the 2010 National Referendum on Kenya s proposed Constitution illustrated that religious differences are a significant potential conflict factor in Kenya. 34.8% felt religious intolerance did not contribute to conflict, 27% felt it did to a little extent, while 24.9% felt it had a moderate potential to contribute to conflict. Another cause of conflict with strong socio-cultural linkages is the practice of livestock raiding or cattle rustling. Cattle rustling, although predominantly viewed as inconsequential to conflict dynamics by 39% (the majority of whom are sedentary groups), is another significant conflict trigger especially among pastoralist groups. 27% of respondents viewed rustling as contributing to conflict to a great extent. 6 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace, 2011 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace,

12 In legal terms, law can act both as a cause and trigger of conflict. As a cause, law and the application of the law engenders conflict by commission as well as by omission. There may exist deficient legal provisions that are manifestly unjust that perpetuate conflicts. More often however legal provisions indirectly contribute to conflict by omission; by a failure to apply legal provisions, the limited scope of legal provisions, or their absence all together. A history of impunity makes it difficult to differentiate between the failings of the legal system or the bureaucratic authoritarianism characterized by corruption and patrimonialism. For example, the government decided to establish a settlement scheme in the Nakuru/Engurone/Kiptagich Extension forest area to resettle the Ogiek people who had previously been evicted from their customary landholding which had been gazetted as forest. However, in establishing the settlement scheme, the provisions of the Forest Act were not adhered to. This illustrates how the law can be manipulated to enhance certain interests, the result of which is the production or perpetuation of conflict. Economic drivers of conflicts include poverty and inequality, unemployment, land, and competition for scarce resources. 46% held that land issues contribute to conflict, 38% felt that competition for resources contributes to conflict, while 54% felt poverty contributes to conflict. Comprehensively addressing economic the myriad economic concerns in the country is crucial for resolving structural causes of conflict. Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution Framework The study makes recommendations based on six thematic areas: On security: Advocacy on the enactment and implementation of peace and security related policies such as the peace policy, small arms policy, IDP policy etc. The need to have a comprehensive document that analyses the security related matters is vital in order to respond to the multi-faceted needs of the Kenyan people; Harmonize and sustain formal institutional arrangements for cooperation between civil society and government on issues of peace and security. The need to harmonise arrangements among key stake holders gives synergies for cooperation and institutionalised frameworks that are acceptable across board; Fast-track security sector reform to strengthen responsiveness and accountability of security forces. It is fundamental that reforms are carried out consistently and with comprehensive public participation. On Legal Theme: Sensitize the formal judicial system to the particular challenges raised by conflict in Kenya vis-à-vis the judicial process. The disengagement between formal law and the society it ought to regulate must be addressed by enhancing the relationship between the Judiciary and other non-legal peace actors; Strengthen and engage with traditional structures with particular attention to their strengths, weaknesses and contradictions with the formal legal regime. Strengthen the currently institutionalised community frameworks by anchoring them in the law and hence increasing the enforceability of their decisions; Creation of a framework for the operation of CSOs engaged in conflict management to enhance monitoring, coordination and accountability at the national and local levels. Some common level ground need to be created in the country to manage and coordinate the operations of CSOs; Access to regional structures should be enhanced not only to hold the state accountable under its international obligations, but also in recognition of the fact that conflict is a regional phenomenon in many parts of Kenya and facilitating regional structures will enhance effective conflict resolution both within and across the border. On Socio-Cultural Theme: Strengthen the role of NCIC by enhancing partnerships with community based actors to sustain the core shared national values of integration and cohesion. This study emphasizes the optimal utilization of this diversity both as our strength and the foundation for co-existence; Encourage public dialogue forums, social exchange programs and peace education as higher levels of social interactions in any society enhances the efficacy of grassroot conflict mediation and resolution; Promote awareness on constitutional provisions for representation of youth and women in all decision making levels including conflict management structures. On the Political Theme: Strengthen the performance and independence of the registrar of political parties to implement the relevant laws to the letter. Political parties and the politicians heading them over time have mishandled the trust the people of Kenya had in them. The political parties have acted differently from what they promised to do in their manifestos; hence there is some need to institutionalise the order of operations by the political parties. Fast-track the establishment of an Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission that will independently and professionally discharge its mandate. The ECK bungled elections, and it wasn t truly independent hence contributed to a political crisis. The electoral malpractices and open anomalies destroyed the processes and eroded the people s faith and trust. To restore the confidence in people over this institution a people-driven process is vital. Design a collaborative mechanism for guaranteeing citizenship rights to all Kenyans in order to secure voting rights. In this light, educate the public on the Bill of Rights in the new constitution. Regarding Environmental Aspects: There is a strong need to highlight the contribution of environmental factors to conflict as these 8 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace, 2011 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace,

13 important and significant challenges have yet to receive sustained consideration in conflict management circles. There is urgent need to ensure and improve effective implementation of environmental conservation policies and initiatives; placing particular emphasis on the relationship with conflict. This supported by Chapter 5 of the Constitution. On the Economic Front: Respondents felt that wide economic factors especially poverty and unemployment significantly trigger and cause conflict. The creation and implementation of sound fiscal policy, with particular focus on marginalised groups and areas, can therefore address this finding. Further, holding the government to task under the Constitution regarding measures taken to address the socio-economic conditions of Kenyans can form a strong tool for positive action; Advocacy for the implementation of the devolved funding for County mechanism including the Equalisation Fund and socio-economic rights as contained in the Bill of Rights in the new Constitution Implementation of all natural resource-based management policies to bring harmonious ownership, productivity and utilization of the natural resources in the country e.g. land, water, minerals The Extent and Magnitude of Proliferation of Illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons in Kenya The Kenya National Focal Point on Small Arms and Light Weapons (KNFP) is an interagency directorate within the Ministry of State for Provincial Administration and Internal Security. It was established in 2002 and became operational in The KNFP also operates under the International and Regional protocols such as the United Nations Program of Action against Small Arms and Light Weapons (UNPoA), the African Bamako Declaration on the control of SALW and the Nairobi Protocol on management of proliferation of SALW in the Great Lakes Region and Horn of Africa. KNFP is mandated to coordinate all actions in addressing SALW issues in Kenya. Activities Stockpile management Awareness raising on dangers of illicit SALW KNFP Deputy Director Eng. John Patrick Ochieng giving a presentation on Management of SALW in Kenya Institutional capacity strengthening for mitigating SALW challenges The focal point also provide recommendations to the government on ways and means of addressing SALW KNFP works in collaboration with NSC especially in the EWER framework Assisting in developing disarmament strategies KNFP on SALW partners with German Society for International Development (GIZ), ISS, Saferworld, Oxfam GB, RECSA, EAC Secretariat, UNDP among others in the implementation of its activities Some of the Achievements of KNFP Annual public destruction of over assorted illicit SALW and ammunitions Draft National Policy on SALW 5 year strategic plan and an M&E framework Establishment of 8 provincial and 81 district Task Forces The Status of Small Arms and Light Weapons in Kenya The first and last mapping of SALW in Kenya was done in The Second National Small Arms Mapping Survey Report; has not yet been officially released but some highlights were published in the Daily Nation of Sunday, 18 September Objectives of the Mapping i) Ascertain the number of illicit SALW ii) iii) iv) Identify sources, prevalence and movement of SALW in and out of Kenya Assess the capacity of various actors involved in SALW and peace building efforts in the country Assess the role and use of information on illicit SALW and linkage to early warning and response mechanism in conflict transformation v) Assess the effect of insecurity as a result of use of illicit SALW especially among the pastoralist Communities, on food insecurity, poverty, livelihood among other related concerns vi) Highlight lessons learnt in the past survey which can inform future efforts of addressing problem of illicit SALW The report covered 31 out of 47 counties. Preliminary findings suggest that Kenya need to strengthen border points as the refugee problem from Somalia persist. Most people acquire guns for defensive reasons, to protect themselves from cattle rustlers, gangs and militias. Other reasons advanced have to do with need for wealth and other cultural factors. The arms trade network is more sophisticated in urban centers such as Nairobi. 10 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace, 2011 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace,

14 KNFP is implementing a project on marking of all state owned firearms. KNFP is also tracking illicit arms, sources and movements, and examining linkages to early warning systems, effects of SALW use on poverty and insecurity. The report paints a picture on the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the country, with statistics showing that 450,000 guns are illegally held, mainly by pastoralists and other elements. It would be useful to interrogate this further and come up with a roadmap to improve this status, more so, with an upcoming election next year. This speaks to the greater need to address Kenya s issues from a peace and governance perspective, among other development parameters. This survey has established that illegal arms are still in circulation. In some areas, arms availability has increased while in others it has gone down. For instance, gains made in peace building have improved the security situation in North Eastern, where clans coexist in relative peace. The use of traditional conflict resolution methods, such as passing binding peace agreements based on community norms, and utility of local peace structures, have contributed to the current stability. As a matter of fact, Interpol recently rated Garissa the region s main town as the safest town in East and Central Africa. 1 Incidents of crime and use of arms in north-eastern have gone down. Despite this stability in North Eastern, communities remain wary of the threat of spillover effects of the war in Somalia. The biggest concerns about the region are now the threat of Al Shabaab infiltration and the use of the region as an arms corridor to other parts of the country. However the contrary is observed in Upper Eastern. Some communities have been arming especially in Isiolo and Marsabit due to increased attacks by the Samburu and Borana. Livestock rustling has reduced but banditry is on the increase. The calamitous drought has led to significant losses of livestock, and this in turn has fuelled a new cycle of livestock raids as communities seek to restock. A lot more needs to be done in strengthening border control mechanisms since cross-border crimes are a major threat to security. The present sub-regional integration efforts are laudable, especially the East African Community (EAC) common market. Under the EAC, member states have committed to a common defense and security policy, and such a framework will be a basis for addressing some of the crossborder security challenges including prevention of the trafficking of arms. But there is need for broader geographical focus in arms control measures. A focus on the Great Lakes and Horn of Africa is therefore important. The role of the Regional Centre on Small Arms (RECSA) and other regional organizations like the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region Secretariat (ICGLR) and the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in harnessing regional efforts are central in control and prevention of spread of SALW. The facilitating conditions for arms demand still exist. For instance, the recurrent cycles of politically motivated clashes magnified by the 2007/2008 post-election violence have created a new demand for arms especially in Central Rift Valley. Studies have demonstrated that these areas are new arms markets. For instance a PeaceNet study on SALW noted that the availability of SALWs played a significant role in post-election violence. Weapons are sourced from Uganda, Southern Sudan, and parts of south Ethiopia. The major weapons trafficking corridors are from Kolowa market (East Pokot district) to Eldoret (Uasin Gishu district) and parts of Nakuru district; from Kitale (Trans Nzoia West district) to Eldoret; and from Nairobi to Kauru (Molo) and finally to Eldoret). A reduction of cattle rustling in West Pokot around this period was linked to the lucrative arms trafficking trade due to heightened demand in the Central Rift. 2 The government s failure to provide adequate security, increased vulnerability to attacks from neighbours and emergence of criminal gangs including armed youths are fuelling demand for small arms in Central Rift Valley. Boundary disputes persist as a source of conflict among communities. Right from Coast, the Wardei are in conflict with Oroma over community grazing blocks and boundaries. Communities in the North Rift accuse each other of expansionism, for instance the Samburu consider the Pokot expansionist. The Maasai, Kisii and Kuria are in conflict over boundaries in West Rift Valley while the Sabaot have grievances over land issues. The conflict between Tharaka and Igembe of Meru is also caused by boundaries. But all these conflicts, including the post-election violence, are linked to resource-based competitions and the persistence of such conflict sustains demand for small arms. Although the government has been commended for the effort made in ensuring security, there is faith and hope among the citizenry that the war on illicit SALW can be won. The government needs to give priority to security and provision of relevant infrastructure and comprehensive reforms even among the law enforcement agencies, including deployment of adequate security officers in critical areas of need. The Kenya-Uganda border has been mentioned over and over as a typical case. When the Uganda government heavily deployed the Uganda People s Defence Forces (UPDF) at the border on the Karamoja Region side, the effect has been remarkable. There has been reduced incursion of raiders from Uganda to Kenya and vice versa. Kenya might need to replicate a similar model along its borders with Ethiopia, Sudan and Somalia. The Kenya National Focal Point (KNFP) in the last two years has mounted an extensive awareness creation programme including establishment of Provincial and District Task Forces with membership derived from Security Committees at the respective levels and community opinion leaders. But the effort has been hampered by inadequate resources. The current KNFP Strategic Plan has articulated a scheme to engage with various stakeholders at different levels. This study also presented an opportunity to create awareness at household level and with various opinion leaders. In the current reform environment, Kenya s security sector is equally involved. While institutions are transformed at the top, these changes need to move in tandem with resolution of root causes of illicit arms possession and use at the grassroots level. These reforms are benchmarked against the Kenya Vision 2030, whose vision for the country s security is a society free from danger and fear. The specific strategies in this line include improving the practice of community policing; reducing the police to population ratio; adopting information and communication technology (ICT) in crime detection and prevention; enhancing police training; as well as acceleration of reforms in the judiciary. 3 Under the new constitution the Kenya Police and Administration Police are bound to be harmonized under 12 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace, 2011 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace,

15 one overall command of the Inspector General. New constitutional provisions have equally triggered a new drive to fast track police reforms. The Kenya Police reform efforts date back to 2003, when the first Task Force on Police Reforms was set up. The current phase in police reforms is estimated to cost Kshs. 78 billion (approximately US$ 1billion) over the next three years ( ). 4 It is visible that efforts at strengthening the security architecture necessary for guaranteeing security are ongoing. But at the local level, inter-community rivalries persist, and these are further complicated by realities of resource scarcity and cross-border dimensions of insecurity; urban poverty and its affinity to crime; emergence of criminal gangs and persisting border porosity are some core factors that feed arms trafficking and possession. Efforts are needed to connect national level institutional reforms and local level peace and security initiatives. District Task Forces on SALW and District Peace Committees are structures that should therefore be sustained. Further, policy frameworks, such as the Kenya National Focal Point on SALW (KNFP)-formulated Small Arms Policy and the National Steering Committee on Peace building and Conflict Management (NSC)-formulated Peace Policy needs to be adopted by the government. These policies will effectively help bridge the gap between the national and local level initiatives. The findings from this study will inform the government on policy and intervention initiatives, the CSOs and other stakeholders to make relevant decisions on SALW interventions. e: Towards a Conflict Prevention Strategy and Strategic Leadership Agenda for 2012 and Beyond: UWIANO Platform for Peace Presented by D. Liyayi Magotsi and Dominic Ruto Pkalya In preparation for the National Referendum Process on Kenya s Proposed Constitution in 2010, the NSC, NCIC, PeaceNet and UNDP developed a Conflict Prevention Strategy dubbed UWIANO Platform for Peace. The main objectives of the intervention were:- To develop partnerships and a coordination platform for violence mitigation during the national referendum process in Kenya To strengthen synergies and effective coordination between local actors (DPCs and CSOs) in joint planning and collaboration in conflict prevention and peace building at district levels To develop tools and platforms for monitoring and reporting national cohesion and integration issues in Kenya To build a partnership and associates framework for addressing thematic national cohesion issues To test-run and apply the conflict early warning and response tools for conflict prevention and promoting national cohesion during the national referendum period for Kenya s new constitution. To support capacity for NCIC to effectively deliver on its mandate The main outcome of the intervention was to consolidate the gains of the KNDR process by ensuring a peaceful and incident free referendum for the new constitution and strengthened national and local level mechanisms and partnerships for conflict prevention and peace building in Kenya. This initiative was funded by DFID Kenya and UNDP. Other partners like the Ford foundation also provided limited grants to support some CSOs actors to undertake certain aspects of the work that supported the realization of the project outcomes. In particular, NSC brought with it comparative advantage of access to the Ministry of Internal Security and Provincial Administration as well as coordination of the District Peace Committees (DPCs). The NSC also housed the Joint Secretariat, the engine organ of the initiative. PeaceNet Kenya- a civil society networking organization brought in capacities for community mobilization, mediation and grassroots participation of CSOs. In collaboration with the Partnership for Peace and Security (PfPS), a framework of civil society actors in peace and security sector management, was realized. PeaceNet also provided financial management services to ensure rapid procurement services and disbursement of funds for various activities and interventions under the project. NCIC, is one of Kenya s Agenda 4 Commissions that were established following the 2007/2008 Post Election Violence and the consequent signing of the National Accord and Reconciliation Agreement (NARA) in 2008 as part of transitional justice mechanisms agreed upon in the National Accord. NCIC contributed capacities to enforce adherence to anti-hate speech provisions of the law as a way of enhancing national cohesion. UNDP provided technical and financial support to the initiative. It also worked in reaching out to other 14 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace, 2011 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace,

16 partners at the humanitarian and political levels. The UWIANO Platform for Peace made contributions to a peaceful 2010 referendum and encouraged consolidation of efforts towards strengthening conflict early warning and early response systems, as well as synergizing efforts for national cohesion and integration. In working towards 2012 and beyond, the Platform has since developed a Strategic Leadership Agenda whose implementation will contribute to successful 2012 elections for a stable, cohesive, peaceful nation with accountable and ethical leadership. Some of the key areas of focus for the Strategic Leadership Agenda are: Strengthened capacity for conflict prevention, management and resolution Strengthened early warning and response to potentially violent conflicts Support to constructive negotiation and consensus formation among communities Mobilizing stakeholders for peace through facilitation of peace caravans and peace vigil Strengthened media engagement and publicity Consolidating and expanding partnerships support for interventions on youth and armed violence A credible Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) should be in place and successful boundaries demarcations carried out Capacity of political parties to be enhanced whereby ideology or issue based politics will take place Monitoring campaigns at different levels to check their effects on peace and security Public participation in the electoral process strengthened Strengthening national and local capacity for peace Training police on human rights, conflict management and gender based violence Enactment of relevant policies Enhancing responsible journalism and delivery of security services Enhancing community dialogue with a focus on women and the youth Best Case Scenario Peaceful and successful 2012 elections and beyond This is predicated on the assumptions that people have learned from previous electoral violence. Implementation of the new constitution goes well. The stakes in the presidency has gone down as the office has been watered down in the constitution. There is a strong chapter on Bill of Rights, the Equalization Fund, Devolved resources (and power) and public participation in major decision making process (vetting/ public hearings). Scenario Building for Kenya UWIANO is working on some analysis of conflict trend in the country as the nation approaches the 2012 elections and beyond. Below are the projections of the likely situations. 16 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace, 2011 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace,

17 Scenario building be successful. The land problems may be unresolved with different ethnic groups reading from different scripts. The proposed land commission is not yet in place. Ethnicisation of the political system may continue and political parties may continue exuding ethnicity. Negative ethnicity among communities may continue. Proliferation of SALW may continue to rise as shown by the small arms survey. Arming of communities may continue as the report of BBC 2009 and UNDP 2008 indicated a rise in arming among communities especially in Rift Valley. Implementation of the new constitution may be sabotaged. Armed militias are still not reintegrated into society. The ICC process may have negative fallout. The implementation of the constitution may be delayed or sabotaged. Outcome of Focus Group Discussions (Syndicates) New institutions have been established such as NCIC and IEBC and they are delivering services. There is a new faith in the electoral process. The ICC process is double crossed situation It can act as a deterrence for inciting violence and also an instrument for addressing impunity but on the other hand some communities might feel the ICC has targeted them and has been unfair. NCIC has reined in perpetrators of hate speech. The capacity to address conflict issues in the country has been raised. There is a vibrant civil society that is working for social justice. There is an efficient Early Warning and Early Response (EWER) systems in place. Middle Case /Croan Zone Happy slaves scenario - this is a situation where people are contented with the situation in spite of its shortcoming. There might be some conflict but will not mirror the PEV. There might be peace in ICC confirmation might irritate some groups especially in the Rift Valley. County conflicts might erupt in multi-ethnic urban areas and there may be conflicts pitting the majority against the minority. There may be delayed constitutional implementation and a weak peace building infrastructure. Jostling for positions and opportunities along ethnic lines may accelerate conflict. There may be delayed implementation of the constitution. Weak peace architecture such as DPCs may not be strong enough to prevent conflicts. Worst Case Scenario 2007/8 Post Election Type of Violence In a research carried out recently (2010), 74% of respondents in the mapping of conflict expressed fears that 2007/8 type violence might recur. The report of the Sentinel Genocide Project (2010) maintains that precursors of genocide in other contexts are also present in Kenya. Resettlement of IDPs may not Syndicate 1: Role of Media in Peace and Security Moderator: Florence Sipala; Panelists: Prof. Karambu Ringera, Harun Mwangi, Boniface Mwangi, Objectives Incorporating journalism into peace building Media responsibility Role of Society The forum defined peace as: a situation where there is access to basic human needs for human sustainability. The forum analyzed how the media has neglected human rights and gender issues by not reporting objectively and giving them the undue attention. In the discussions, it emerged the media has been politicized hence misguiding its audience by informing society on issues that are not addressing the real issues in society. Journalists should be analytic, descriptive, and comparative in their reporting. The journalists should endeavor to dig deeper for the truth when gathering information and also learn from their failures. The media in Kenya has over emphasized politics at the expense of other important issues and especially in promoting ethical and moral values in the society. It was observed that the media s core business is to generate income for the investors and public interests is a secondary business. The media has an influence in molding character of the people. The media however is mostly driven by elites interests and media ownership. The media is also prone to corruption and there have been cases where business persons or politicians offer bribes to journalists to influence the stories they write. Journalists especially correspondents are poorly paid and thus become vulnerable to corruption. There is a tendency to report more about conflict and violence than peacemaking initiatives. There are cases where journalists misinterpret news or frame the news to serve partisan interests. The media has the power and opportunity to develop the perspective of its viewers. Media still has audience even when reporting on substitutive issues. Challenges The group was informed that journalists are indeed tribal and corrupt and this has been exacerbated by poverty among poorly paid journalists. 18 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace, 2011 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace,

18 Majority of the media owners are politicians and powerful people hence certain bills to censure the media don t see the light of day in Parliament The forum was informed that in Kenya there are no media controls and as such the media council is revising the policy where they can be able to control media content and regulate media ownership. Most Kenyans lack the moral courage to stand up for what is right. Lack of knowledge and experience in specialized areas. Lack of competence in gender issues and relations with peace and security Syndicate 2: Peace and Security Moderator: Edwin Oketch; Panelists: Dr. Ozonnia Ojielo-UNDP Kenya, Mr. Moses Onyango-USIU, Mark Leleruk-Peace cop Programme; Lazarus Kubasu; and Arthur Wesonga-GPYC Objectives Identify major impediments to peace and security in the country Assess the policies, strategies and activities that have been implemented Recommend legislative, policy and strategic intervention framework Kenya is still in an environment of negative peace. There is a need to change values and attitudes. Traditional peace building mechanisms and judicial processes have not been harmonized. Resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) has been faced by difficulties including rejection of IDPs in some areas. Sometimes security deployment is skewed in favour of some areas. The electoral law has not yet been implemented and new institutions are not yet in place. There are fears that conflicts will continue to escalate as the effects of climate change become more severe. Cattle rustling practice has not yet been tamed. There is still a challenge of proliferation of SALW. Youth unemployment also continues to pose a challenge to sustainable peace and security. There is still marginalization of women in many of Kenya s communities and public institutions and pastoral areas are not at par with other areas of the country. Social media can also act as inciters. Kenya s peace and security is still pegged on the outcome of the Hague process (ICC) and the conduct of the 2012 elections. The judiciary is still reforming to be able to handle sensitive electoral disputes. Donor competition and turf conflict has a negative bearing on peace and security. The development of a national security policy and implementation of the national peace building and conflict management policy are essential pillars to support peace activities at all levels. The Constitution of Kenya (2010) provides hope for a peaceful country if well implemented. The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) is promoting equality, integration and nationhood. The NSC and the national peace building infrastructure that includes District Peace Committees (DPC) are playing a useful role of conflict prevention. The government is implementing activities to meet the Millennium Development Goals. The academia is providing leadership in debating on various transitional justice options open to the country such as restorative or retributive justice. There are number of legislative, institutional and policy reforms that are ongoing including the Judiciary and the Security sector. This is enlarging the peace building space and community in the country. Syndicate 3: Peace and Religion Moderator: Rev. Antony Sasaka; Discussants: Abdulrahman Wandati (ACRL), Bishop Stephen Kalunyu (NCCK) and Bernard Okok (Consultant - Nairobi Peace Initiative- Africa) Objectives Generate reflection on peace and religion Develop a common platform for action General overview Religion is a complex concept whose definitions typically include some or all of the following elements: a belief in a supernatural being (or beings); prayers and communication with that being; transcendent realities that might include some form of heaven, paradise, or hell; a distinction between the sacred and the profane and between ritual acts and sacred objects; a view that explains both the world as a whole and a person s proper role in it; a code of conduct in line with that worldview; and a community bound by its adherence to these elements. 1 In order to generate a practical reflection on peace and religion, with the intension of developing a common platform for action, it is important to find a common nexus, a point where all of humanity comes to a common ground for all of us. That nexus is our humanity, which has been seen as the apex of creation in most religions. This is the question that preoccupied most of the discussants. All of panelists drew attention to religious text that make reference to our shared humanity and arrived at a common ground that the source of conflict between and among religions is about religious dogma and not about God and His relation to Humanity. The context of religion in relation to peace demonstrates justice, courage, compassion and love. These virtues must be propelled by truth, mutual respect, understanding and mutual tolerance. Based on this understanding, a consensus on issues of common concerns was arrived at. Focusing on what is wrong rather than who is wrong was seen to be a strong tool for mitigation in conflict situations, with a challenge directed at religious institutions to take stock in the area of peace and conflict management, by honestly interrogating past responses by religious institutions, with the intention of collectively building blocks of sustainable peace and security. It was also observed that in spite of the challenges facing religious institutions, they have played significant role in maintaining peace and security such as persuading militias to surrender arms when the government declares amnesty. However sometimes such people are prosecuted thereby hindering the work of peace building. Religious institutions have also played a role in reintegration of wayward militias. The Biblical Teaching of being your Brother s Keeper reinforces the notion of good society. The Qur an equates one who kills an innocent soul with one who kills the entire Humanity and one who saves one In Getting Religion?; The Puzzling Case of Islam and Civil War, Monica Toft (2007) 20 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace, 2011 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace,

19 soul with one who saves the entire Humanity. It is clear that in the two teachings, the security of the individual is interlinked with that of the Community. Interfaith Activities to enhance peace and security Mediation between conflict parties Promoting reconciliation and dialogue Supporting disarmament and demobilization of armed of armed militias Interfaith education Observation of elections Encourage traditional/alternative justice mechanisms Civic Education on good governance and democracy Challenges The following were raised as the challenges within the religious context Ethnicity and politics Lack of accountability by religious leaders Suspicion, mistrust and exclusion Pursue of religious dogma rather than spiritualism Glorification of materialism Erroneous interpretation of religious text, leading to polemics and fanatism Lack of proper knowledge of other religious communities in Kenya Syndicate 4: The Private Sector in Peace and Security Moderator: Tom Ogola (Corporate Affairs Manager Comcraft) The Major Role of the Private Sector It is in the best interest of the private sector to do responsible business such as ensuring sustainable environment and refusing to engage in corruption. The private sector can also liaise with civil society to monitor government utilization of public resources. Peace is equal to profit in that without peace there will be no profit in the private sector. All sectors or pillars of society must work for peace building for it to be sustainable. The private sector is expected to act responsibly in ensuring sustainable peace in the country. The private sector is also expected to create employment to empower people economically and have an affirmative action in job distribution. The creation of employment and other economic opportunities can nurture and sustain fragile peace arrangements. The private sector is not expected to engage in corrupt practices like bribing to get favour from government officers. The private sector is also expected to support communities in the areas of operations as a way of giving back to society. This is done to supplement government and civil society efforts of taking essential amenities like health facilities, schools, roads and water sources within reach of the people. Paying taxes promptly and diligently will provide essential funds to eradicate poverty among other government services. Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE) has been influencing employment policies to promote equity. The private sector also invests in sports/athletics to burn out energies of the youth that can be directed towards violence. The sector plays a role to ameliorate the problem of unemployment and provides internship. Syndicate group members following keenly in the discussions The private sector has a powerful role of Influencing policy making. The private sector has engaged government in policy making in a number of areas that affect their industry such as in levying taxes on imported goods. The private sector plays a big role in humanitarian relief such as the Kenyans for Kenya initiative which was organised by Safaricom, Media stations, Kenya Red Cross and other sponsors. The initiative was successful in donating food to the hungry in Turkana and other parts of the country in The private sector has also collaborated with government to enhance local exports such as in the government s establishment of the Export Processing Zone (EPZ); that was designed to integrate Kenya into the global supply chain and attract export-oriented investments in the zones and thus achieve government s objectives of job creation. There is strong connection between underpaying workers and poverty and security. The country requires private sector with a human face. What the private sector can do to enhance contribution to peace and security To ensure that policies for employment are implemented 22 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace, 2011 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace,

20 Sponsoring interactive sports like football and athletics Withdrawing advertisement from irresponsible media Introducing intern programs in various organisations to enable the youth learn how to correlate with staff in the job market and also appreciating their work by giving them allowance Conducting union forums to discuss issues affecting workers and to identify better ways of resolving disputes To form bodies that proactively engages the government in assisting the private sector in peace building To be involved in cross border trade negotiation with the neighbouring nations. To ensure peaceful trade by shunning tribalism Syndicate 5: Women and Peacebuilding Moderators: Jebiwot Sumbeiywo (PACT Kenya), Panelists: Florence Mpaayei (NPI-Africa), Laban Guyo, Rukia Subow (Maendeleo Ya Wanawake Organization), Caren Wakoli and Timothy Gachucha Overview of the Status of Women and Youth in Peace and Security This group defined youth as young people between the age of 18 and 35 years as the Kenya constitution maintains. It was noted that women and youth affairs were pertinent issues in our society where the majority of citizens are not only either youth or women but also happen to be the most marginalized ones in many fronts. The youth are commonly associated with violence or perceived as the main actors in conflict situations. It was also noted that in conflict situations they are also the majority of victims/fatalities. In some regions especially in the pastoral areas, the involvement of women in conflicts as inciters who drive their men to engage in conflict activities as a show of heroism/bravado has been reported. Majority of the youth are perpetrators of violence, and also end up being majority of the victims/fatalities of conflict situations. She also mentioned that upon completion of formal education, about 2% of young people are absorbed in the formal sector while the majority is absorbed in the jua kali sector. Women are also most vulnerable in conflict situations, they get displaced, sexually and physically abused and emotionally suffer as a result of conflicts. Participants at the Syndicate Thematic Group Discussion It was noted that during the post-election violence in 2007, the youth were the majority of perpetrators and also victims, however they also happen to be members of most peace initiatives in different spheres of the country. There is need to highlight the activities of peace actors at different levels of the society and also promote youth empowerment through education activities or edu-tainment which is using entertainment as a mode of passing messages to youth as a powerful medium of communication. Initiative cultural exchange programs which will help dissolve negative stereotypes and demystify negative beliefs communicated that may be present in the community. It was noted that about 75% of women become internally displaced during conflicts/war in almost all conflict areas, while the male counterparts tend to disappear. This brings about changes in the gender roles whereby women take over the role of men in the society for provision of basic needs and protection. In extreme cases, women are made to offer their bodies for money in order to support their children. Upon the end of conflicts/war when the men return, women are expected to go back to their womanly roles while men take over their previous role as the heads of household, this normally results in conflict at the family front. Contextual Analysis Women were in the forefront in the agitation or multi-party democracy in the 1990s. During the so called ethnic clashes of the 1990s, women led by Nobel Prize Laureate, Prof. Wangari Maathai provided food, shelter and psychological support to IDPs. Prof. Wangari, together with other women at the freedom corner in Uhuru Park campaigned successfully for the release of those detained without trial. After the post-election violence, eminent women actively participated in the negotiation for the coalition government. When peace was threatened after formation of the coalition government, all women organization came together and called for the decline of conjugal rights to men. Maendeleo Ya Wanawake Organization was formed during the colonial era to care for victims of violence during the Mau Mau struggle for independence. The organization has continued to champion peace advocacy to this day. MYWO is working together with other partners such as NSC and UNDP to build capacity for peace 24 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace, 2011 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace,

21 building towards the next general election in 2012 and beyond and also working with communities to eradicate retrogressive cultural practices such as FGM. The Role of Women in Peace building It was noted that women are involved in peace building activities at the grass root level, regionally and nationally. This makes them instrumental in peace building in the country especially considering their nurturing nature. Women are part of the Kenyan citizenry and are present in all the socio-economic spheres of the country. The group also noted that women have been at the fore front of liberation movements since the precolonial times. It was also pointed out that in the international scene; women empowerment in peace and security is recognized in the United Nations through United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, United Nations Declaration on Human Rights and Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) among other instruments. The UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (UNSCR 1325) was passed unanimously in October 2000 in recognition of the importance of including women in matters of peace and security. Its basic premise is that a just and lasting world peace cannot be achieved without the full and equal participation of women. Broadly applied, Resolution 1325 extends to all stages of peace building, peacemaking, peacekeeping and conflict prevention. UNSCR 1325 has been reinforced and expanded by follow-up Security Council Resolutions: 1820 (2008), 1888 (2009), 1889 (2009), and 1960 (2010) that discuss sexual violence, women in conflict, and women s participation in government and peace processes. UNSCR 1325 combined with its follow up resolutions form the Women, Peace and Security policy agenda (WPS). Kenya is in the process of developing a National Action Plan (NAP) on UNSCR The development of the NAP is informed by a number of local and international instruments. The African Union has a Gender Policy and the African Charter on Peoples and Human Rights (the Maputo Protocol) that calls for protection and participation of women in peace and security. Inter-Governmental Authority on Drought and Development (IGAD) and the East African Community (EAC) together with the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) and Regional Center for Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (RECSA) have also been developing and implementing policies and institutions to support women protection and participation in peace and security. At the local level there are community based organizations such as the Rural Women Peace Link (RWPL) that have amplified women participation in peace and security especially in the North Rift Region, North Eastern Province, and South Rift region where women are empowered on various issues such as; gender based violence, political participation through youth village (Mbunges) and on appreciating the ethnic diversity of various communities in Kenya. At the county level, there is women participation in informal national peace processes. Currently the National Commission for Gender and Development (NCGD) in collaboration with UN Women and the Embassy of Finland have commissioned a mapping exercise of UNSCR 1325 actors, policies, international instruments, national legislations, policies and institutions, to give an insight of the status of women participation and protection in prevention of violations of women rights and promotion of gender mainstreaming in the peace processes country wide. Challenges of Women and Youth in Peace and Security There lacks adequate engagement of people at the grass root level, hence benefits of some national forums (like the present one) cannot be translated at the local levels. Peace and political processes usually lock out women because our society is patriarchal. Success stories on peace building and involvement of women at the grass root levels has not been fully documented and highlighted. There is need to note that violence and tribalism agenda is driven by political leaders and is normally not enshrined in political party policies. Drug and substance abuse is a big problem in the country which affects the productivity of young people and makes them to be easily used by politicians to further their often negative agendas. Syndicate 6: Transitional Justice: Promoting Accountability for Durable Peace Moderator: Martin Ouma; Panelists: Francis Mbiu (Inter Peace), George Kegoro (International Center for Jurists-ICJ) Objectives To identify the objectives of transitional justice in Kenya To identify the various transitional justice mechanisms in Kenya Assess what has worked and what has not worked The forum defined Transitional justice as the manner in which the government of Kenya or the state deals with past violations of human rights in Kenya. According to the International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ); transitional justice refers to the set of judicial and non-judicial measures that have been implemented by different countries in order to redress the legacies of massive human rights abuses. The measures include criminal legacies of massive human rights abuses. These measures include criminal prosecutions, truth commissions, reparations programs and various kinds of institutional reforms. 26 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace, 2011 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace,

22 It was a day of Pomp and Funfair!! The Public gathers at Uhuru Park in readiness for the peace procession to KICC Pictorial The PC Nairobi flags off the Peace Procession at Uhuru Park A participant making a point on the thematic Area Transitional justice has taken place in Kenya in different periods but it has largely been ad hoc and characterized by denials that it is necessary or needed in the country. The Kenyan state has attempted transitional justice in the following areas: Politically motivated ethnic clashes The establishment of the Kiliku Parliamentary Committee to investigate ethnic clashes in Western Kenya and other parts of Kenya during the Moi era (1992). Akiwumi Commission (1998) established to investigate ethnic violence The report demonstrated the indecisiveness of the establishment since it was not released. The WAKI Commission This was established through a partnership between Kenya and the panel of eminent persons during the Kenya National Dialogue and Reconciliation agreement (KNDR). The WAKI commission had a self-implementation mechanism AP Band leads the procession through the streets The Kiliku Parliamentary Committee to investigate ethnic clashes was appointed in In its report, the Committee analyzed critically the roles played by politicians, political parties and security personnel, among others, and made its recommendations in that regard so as to avoid the recurrence of similar incidents. The recommendations of the report were never implemented and subsequent general elections saw even more violent ethnic clashes. The Akiwumi Judicial Commission of Inquiry appointed to inquire into tribal clashes in Kenya. The Commission was mandated to investigate the underlying causes of the clashes, to investigate the action taken by the law enforcement officers and to assess the level of preparedness and effectiveness of the law enforcers in curbing the clashes. Procession snails through the streets towards KICC The Commission report was presented to President Moi on July 31, It was not, however, made public until more than three years later, following court action seeking an order for release of report. The 28 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace, 2011 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace,

23 Pictorial It was a day of Pomp and Funfair!! It was a day of Pomp and Funfair!! Pictorial Members of the Public at the celebration venue and (Right) the AP band performing at the venue Members of the Public, including District Peace Committees, follow the proceedings at KICC Traditional Dancers and artists at the Venue Various Artistes, Youth Groups and children performing during the event DPCs from Nairobi during the procession to KICC for the celebrations 30 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace, 2011 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace,

24 Pictorial It was a day of Pomp and Funfair!! findings of the report were not implemented and politically motivated ethnic clashes continued. Economic Plunder and Corruption The Ndungu Commission of Inquiry on Irregular Allocation of Public Land was appointed by the NARC government in The report identified irregular and illegal land allocations. The report has not been implemented in the structured manner as had been recommended. The report was handed over to Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission (KACC). KACC include the implementation of the report as it is mandate. Nothing has been heard since then. The Goldenberg Commission of Inquiry Arrival of Guests of Honour, Hon. (Prof.) George Saitoti, Hon. Mutula Kilonzo and Mr. F.T Kimemia, PS / MOSPAIS at the celebrations This commission looked at a specific financial scandal. This happened as the country was going through economic liberalization and a non performing economy. There were a number of prosecutions against Government officials and a businessman, Kamlesh Pattni. The cases in court have not done well; some are close to taking 20 years since they started (17yrs ago). Decisions of the court have militated against accountability in the Goldenberg affair. The Kiruki Commission This was a commission that was established to inquire into acts and omissions including but not limited to breaches of security procedures involving Artur Margayan, Artur Sargasyan, Arman Damidri, Alexander Tashchi and others. The Kiruki Commission report together with its recommendations was forwarded to the president, but to date none of its recommendations have been implemented. Task Force on the Establishment of TJRC in Kenya (Prof. Makau Mutua Report) Journalists covering the event Mr. Magotsi consulting with Mr. S. K. Maina The campaign for the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission in Kenya goes back to the struggles against the KANU dictatorship in the 1990s. However, it was the entry of the National Rainbow Coalition (NARC) in December 2002 that brought the greatest expectations for national reforms including the establishment of comprehensive transitional justice processes and a truth commission. Following the interventions by victims and human rights organizations, a Task Force was formed in April 2003 to look into the viability of a TJRC. Its report recommended the formation of a TJRC through a presidential decree by June 2004 to deal with almost all the past human rights violations and economic crimes between December 12, 1963, to December 12, The report recommended Terms of Reference (TORs) and qualifications of personnel to serve in the commission. The report was forgotten until 2007 post-election chaos. Products of Transitional Justice Emanating from 2007/8 Post Election Violence Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC) Dr. Manu Chandaria, Abdi Rahoy (CEWARN Field Monitor) and Rukiya Subow (Chairman, Maendeleo ya Wanawake Organization) receiving their Peace Awards during the International Day of Peace. 32 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace, 2011 Following the post-election violence which occurred between December 2007 and February 2008, the TJRC emerged as one of the major outputs from the subsequent National Dialogue process. Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace,

25 The Waki Commission The Waki Commission was a product of the KNDR process and had a self-implementation mechanism. The ICC came in to stop the impunity reinforced by non-implementation of the previous reports on politically motivated violence. The ICC is a transitional justice mechanism. It came about after the failure of the state to act on previous human rights violations and economic crime reports. The Constitution of Kenya 2010 The 2007/8 violence enabled the country to agree on a new Constitution. However the struggle for a new constitution predates the 2008 violence. The failed referendum built a momentum for violence. The constitution is a product of transitional justice mechanism and an instrument of transitional justice itself. Chapter 5 of the new constitution is about Land This legislation has set out provisions for addressing historical injustices on land. There is also a chapter on Leadership and Integrity which is an attempt of the country s lustration. It calls for a different group of leaders, defines qualities of leadership whether born or made. In Judicial reforms, the constitution provides avenues for transitional justice whereby the then Chief Justice was forced to retire and the then Attorney General was forced to leave office and vetting of Judges and Magistrates was called for. The new constitution is highly distrustful of power; it takes away discretions and provides checks and balances. The President s powers are checked by Parliament. Public participation is called upon in vetting public appointments. The constitution attempts to manage politics, which is a controversial move. There may be issues of what happens to areas that are not controlled or defined by the constitution in a highly dynamic society. Implementation of the Constitution A new Chief Justice is in place Kenyans are hopeful of a new Judicial dispensation Enactment of a number of legislations and development of policies for peace and security Reforms in the security sector are taking place but there is still more areas to be addressed The increasing role of Parliament in vetting public officers and demanding accountability of the executive Community Responses to Transitional justice Mechanisms These are the responses of the community towards transitional justice mechanisms that have been used in Kenya in regards to conflict. Communities in Kenya are deeply divided, something that can be dated back from the divide and rule policy adopted by the British colonialists. The effects of this division have been ramified during conflict such as land clashes, tribal clashes, political and electoral violence. The culture of some communities feeling more superior to others is an in-bred mentality that has gone further in the employment sector where according to an NCIC report; some ethnic groups dominate in the public service. Many communities still recognize the dire need to re-unite and view transitional justice as a mechanism of reconciling communities in the country and this will take Kenya to a higher notch should it be officially adopted. People in the grass root appreciate the transitional justice initiatives that are taking place in Kenya today. The erosion of the powers of the president is a good disincentive for communities to fight each other in order to have their person as president. Power sharing is a good way of arresting ethnic suspicions. For the first time reports of commissions of inquiry investigating electoral violence are being addressed (WAKI Report/Kriegler report). The root causes of problems are also being addressed both at the national and grass root level. The transitional mechanisms that are already in place have been well received by communities especially in resolving past crimes that have gone unpunished and this will enhance the work of peace monitors/ mediators on the ground; who are working to mitigate peace efforts at the grass-root level. However; there is still a great need for more civic education on the constitution as a transitional justice mechanism at the grass-roots. Challenges It has been noted by observers of global conflict trends that post conflict societies experience violence within the next 5 to 10 years, mostly because the system has already experienced violent conflicts before The TJRC has not galvanized the country into a transitional mood and the future of the TJRC outcome is still in doubt The ICC promises some reforms but it deals with only a few people The addressing of impunity gap in the country that has taken too long will depend on the outcome of the ICC process There are no measures in place for addressing the large number of perpetrators of post-election violence 2007/8 Looking at people as problems instead of addressing their real problems such as poverty, illiteracy and ignorance 34 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace, 2011 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace,

26 There are still some past human rights abuses and economic crimes that have not yet been well addressed in Kenya Ethnicity and nepotism are still a major impediment to peace in Kenya Inequality championed by illegal acquisition of wealth, addressing the land inequality issue in Kenya Corruption is still a major impediment to transitional justice in Kenya Land reforms have not been implemented Accumulated corruption, mismanagement of the economy and impunity leads to poverty which translates to lack of education, DSA, Prostitution, HIV/AIDS, frustrations and anger Youth unemployment is a ticking time bomb PART TWO: The International Day of Peace Peace is our Mission; our day to day quest. This Year s Theme focuses on the timely issue of Peace and Democracy. Democracy is a core value of the United Nations. It is crucial for human rights. It provides channels for resolving differences. It gives hope to the marginalized and power to the people.. Ban Kimoon, UN Secretary General s message on the International Day of Peace, 21 st September Every year on the International Day of Peace, people around the world commit to nonviolence and to harmony among all peoples and nations. This message is reinforced further by the fact that the UN has chosen the theme of Make Your Voice Heard, under the overall framework of peace and democracy, for this year s International Day of Peace. The International Day of Peace was established in 1981 by resolution 36/67 of the United Nations General Assembly. In 2001, through the adoption of resolution 55/282, the General Assembly established 21 st September as the day in which to commemorate peace on an annual basis. This is the 30 th anniversary of the International Day of Peace, and the UN urges all to give peace another chance (Statement of Mr. Aeneas C. Chuma, UNDP Resident Representative, UN Resident Coordinator, 21 st, September, 2011) Over the years, Kenya has continued to mark the International Day of Peace with events both at the national and community levels. The climax of the 2011 International Day of Peace was a National event held at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre, after the successful National Peace Forum. This was attended by Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, local and international organizations, Commissioners, Private sector representatives, peace committee representatives, CSO, CBOs, FBOs, NGOs, and the general public. The event was also covered live by Kenya Television Network (KTN). Within the day s events, there were presentations of Peace Awards to individuals and institutions/organizations drawn from various sectors that have contributed to the consolidation, sustenance and enhancement of peace in the country was done. The NSC Coordinator Mr. S.K Maina, EBS delivering his welcome remarks 36 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace, 2011 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace,

27 Statement by Minister of State for Provincial Administration & Internal Security, Hon. (Prof.) George Saitoti, EGH, MP The Minister emphasized that Kenyans must say Never Again to 2007/8 type conflict in the country. He singled out lack of discipline among political leaders as a major driver of violence in the country. The government is addressing the issue of peace and security through development of a number of legislations and policies, security sector reforms among other initiatives. The New Constitution has imbued the country with a reinvigorated democratic culture that has empowered the citizens to participate in formulation of the national agenda including policy processes and decisions. The government is committed to the full implementation of the constitution to ensure that Kenyans enjoy its fruits in totality. He called upon all communities to embrace peaceful coexistence and to initiate dialogue and reconciliation on any conflict situation among them without resulting to violence. He pledged Government s support for any peace initiatives through the existing peace structures to ensure that all Kenyans leave peacefully and to create an environment that is conducive for sustainable economic development. Statement by Hon. Mutula Kilonzo, EGH., MP., Minister for Justice, National Cohesion and Constitutional Affairs: The Minister re-iterated the significance of peace to the country and the various measures that the Government has taken to sustain peace. He maintained that the Constitution guarantees peace to every Kenyan by virtue of the expanded and very elaborate Bill of Rights under Chapter 3 of the Constitution. These rights and freedoms singularly and collectively contribute to the peace of the individual and of the nation. The Kenya constitution in Article 159, recognizes Alternative Dispute Resolution Mechanisms. He reiterated that MOJNCCA is coming up with legislation to institutionalize these alternative disputes settlement mechanisms such as mediation and arbitration. Devolution is also an instrument of peace not division if it is handled carefully. It provides checks and balances in the national leadership between the center and periphery. He gave an example of Switzerland, a world model for devolution and subsidiarity. It has not gone to war for the last 600 years and did not participate in the two world wars. Switzerland has one of the highest standards of living in the world. It is interesting to note that the world media focuses on war and war leaders such that many people would not readily know the name of the President of Switzerland but almost everyone would know the name of the President of the United States of America. This goes a long way to show the focus of the media and the world is more inclined towards war than peace. Peace is a pre-requisite for prosperity. All Kenyans must work hard to maintain and expand zones of peace. We must continuously find progressive ways of resolving conflicts. The Kenya Constitution 2010 guarantees peace in Article 9. Sub section 2. The national anthem, which was never a contentious issue during the making of the constitution, provides the spirit for peace. A new Electoral Law and a body to select persons to be appointed to the new Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission has been appointed and is shortly to begin the exercise of interviewing applicants. On the other hand the Judiciary and related institutions received a major overhaul. First, the Chief Justice and the Attorney General were among the first public officials to be retired under the Constitution. A new Attorney General and Chief Justice have since been appointed. The introduction of the Supreme Court, the separation of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions from the Office of the Attorney General and the much anticipated vetting of judges and magistrates is geared towards the revamping of the judicial system and creating conducive environment for the people of Kenya to regain trust in it. The term for Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC) has been extended to allow them to finish their work. This process will enhance restorative justice necessary for sustainable peace in the country. The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) is doing a tremendous work in helping us draw the distinctions of appropriate ethnic pride and destructive bigotry and hate. It is important to note that the NCIC signed a memorandum of understanding with the media to give a blackout to politicians engaged in hate speech. The resolutions from this forum are significant in helping us to comprehensively strategize for the way forward as we approach the 2012 General election and beyond. 38 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace, 2011 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace,

28 Remarks by Mr. Francis T. Kimemia, CBS., Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of State for Provincial Administration and Internal Security: implementation plan to enhance peace and security. The PS noted that the Ministry is undertaking a number of legislative, policy reforms and activities to champion peace. Currently there is a general positive spirit of peace in the country. There are efforts to inculcate a value driven society. The government has demonstrated in a number of occasions that it cares for those who are in dire need of assistance. The District Peace Committees have been strengthened and now in some areas there are pasture management committees, elders for peace and peace clubs. The Government of Kenya has mainstreamed peace building in the vision 2030, MTP and the Millennium Development Goals A number of reforms are being initiated to give the County Governor, a major role in peace and security maintenance at the County level. The government works closely with civil society, private sector, grass root community organizations to enhance citizens participation in peace and security. The government is also forming permanent border commissions to work for cross border peace. The National Peace building and Conflict Management Policy has already been approved by the minister of internal security. The government will come up with a comprehensive strategy for addressing proliferation of SALW based on the findings of the mapping of SALW exercise undertaken by the KNFP on SALW. The national SMS peace messaging through SMS 108 will be launched soon. Starting from this event (Commemoration of international peace day), the government will give awards to outstanding peace makers in the country, be they individuals or organizations. Mr. Gichira Kibara, EBS: The Ag. Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice National Cohesion and Constitutional Affairs: He shared his experience in participating in the KNDR process as a liaison officer and the drafting of transitional justice legislations such as the law establishing Interim Disputes Resolution Court and National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC). He observed that Kenyans had taken peace for granted for a long time and that peace was never regarded as a major national challenge. The 2007/8 PEV was a wakeup call to Kenyans from this slumber. Most religions preach peace and given that majority of Kenyans are religious; religion should be harnessed more as resource for peace. Peace has to be worked on by government agencies, civil society and other partners; it is not something that can just happen by chance. The government has played its role in peace building such as enacting legislations, developing policies and establishing institutions. The government has implemented most of the agenda set in KNDR to sustain peace and democracy and enhance access to justice. There have been constitutional, legal and institutional reforms. Government has instituted reforms in the Executive, Parliament, Judiciary and Civil Service. The NCIC is playing its role to consolidate national cohesion and unity. Land reforms The new constitution forms the basis for land reforms. The constitution has established guidelines for community land, private and public land management. A permanent national land commission that will also address historical land injustices is provided for in the constitution. The land commission is in the process of being established. Marginalization was identified as one of the long term causes of conflict by KNDR Accord. This has been addressed through ensuring equity, resource allocation in the new constitution through devolved governance - taking resources to the grass root. Equalization fund will be established to address marginalization in terms of infrastructure. The foundation of peace and security is already there for a new beginning. Kenyans must live to the aspirations of the Constitution as expressed in the Preamble and the National values. Dr. Manu Chandaria, OBE, EBS (Chairman: Global Peace Festival Foundation (GPFF) Peace begins in one s heart. We must all begin to change our attitudes and behavior to focus on peace within ourselves and between us and the society. We must speak less and act more, including our political leaders. Kenyans must be alert to maintain peace because Kenyans are not out of the woods. The Ministry of Justice, National Cohesion and Constitutional Affairs and NCIC are working on the national values for the country. 40 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace, 2011 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace,

29 Ms. Mary Onyango (Vice Chairperson National Cohesion and Integration Commission Though the government has initiated a number of peace building legislations and policies, they are not enough to change people s hearts and minds and therefore each individual Kenyan must take responsibility to work for peace. While delivering the speech on behalf of the UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative Mr. Aeneas Chuma, Dr. OzonniaOjielo thanked the Government of Kenya for the relentless efforts being made in peacebuilding, conflict management and reconciliation. He lauded the convening of this National Forum as a pointer to the level of coordination required in experience sharing, documentation of lessons learnt, reviewing and planning for peace work. He lauded the synergies and roles of both state and non-state actors in peace building in Kenya which is also reflected in this Year s national theme Sustainable Peace: A Role for all Kenyans. He encouraged the national leadership and government to focus on preventing conflict and violence; He gave hope that the next general elections and all other processes and transitions that could undermine peace, unity and stability in Kenya will be effectively transformed to prevent conflict. As for the general public, the UNDP Resident Representative encouraged them to use the short code for Amani 108 to convey peace and conflict messages as a way to contributing towards peace in the country.(for a detailed statement, see Annex..) Chapter 3: Conclusion and Recommendations This section is a brief summary of the conference output and recommendations from specific working groups. The National Peace Forum is a potential event for galvanizing Kenyans to streamline issues of peace and security in their day to day activities. This report has captured a wide range of actors and activities that are taking place to strengthen the peace building infrastructure in the country. The report acts as an evaluation document indicating what has been done so far and identifying the gaps that remains to be filled. The report demonstrates inter agency collaboration and government commitment in building peace for the country. The response to the gaps identified and the recommendations in this report should inform a comprehensive national strategy framework for peace building and conflict management for the next year and beyond. Overall Recommendations 1. There is a need to enhance the devolution process in the Counties and to finalize the reforms of the judiciary. Establishing the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) in preparation for the upcoming general election is a top priority, among other reform processes that have implications on the peace and security fronts. It was emphasized that all stakeholders have a role to play in ensuring these processes do not become drivers of conflict and divide the nation, but become opportunities for nation building, national cohesion and integration. 2. The media must evolve as a responsible partner for peace and security in the country. This will happen through individual and collective media reforms; in ethics, professionalism, regulatory environment, media consumers agency, MCK and government oversight. 3. The implementation of the new constitution (2010) as a peace and security document is a top priority. This is coupled with enactment of relevant legislations, policy development, security sector reforms and enhanced collaboration of stakeholders in the peace and security sector. 4. Community dialogue for transitional conversation ownership is required, individual agencies and responsibility for peace in their community is also necessary for long term peace in the country. Kenyans must put together all efforts to move beyond the past. Religion has a major role to play in constructing the new Kenya. 5. The peace building fraternity must work together to develop a shared strategic agenda for peace building in Kenya. The Mt. Elgon example where priests prevented politicians from speaking during funerals is a proactive approach that should be emulated across the country. 6. Kenyans must seize the moment and opportunity to work for peace in the country based on the national values and aspirations. There is a need for meaningful involvement of all actors and Kenyans 42 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace, 2011 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace,

30 of all works of life in development, societal transformation, decision making, and peace-building processes. 7. It is important to salute peace champions, activists and ordinary people for their courage and determination to build a better Kenya. A number of peace icons were recognized during the commemoration day such as Manu Chandaria, Dekha Ibrahim and Wajir Peace University. Recommendations for Control of SALW 1. That government undertakes a comprehensive capacity assessment of the security requirements in the entire country, including the requirements for levels of deployment of security officers and beef up numbers where there is inadequacy. 2. Strengthen and sustain border security mechanisms to curtail and prevent cross-border raids, and prevent illicit SALW entry into the country. This may involve revival or up scaling of inter-governmental negotiations for peace building and comprehensive strategies for joint disarmament and revitalizing existing cross-border community peace initiatives and structures That government invests in infrastructure development in insecurity prone frontiers and coordinates implementation of various social and economic activities for development and empowerment of communities living in those areas. 4. That KNFP is funded to undertake awareness creation and programmes across the country in partnership with other key stakeholders and law enforcement agencies particularly Provincial Administration Through the use of communication channels relevant to the communities like chief s barazas, billboards, radio and other infomercials sustain the campaign against illicit SALW. 5. That KNFP continues with the current arms marking across all the Security organs and maintains accurate records and data on SALW, including management of data by arms dealers and identification of traffickers and clandestine traders. 6. That a development-oriented disarmament programme that addresses demand and supply factors be initiated and sustained as a long-term measure. With the new emergence of County governments, the leaders should be supported and charged with responsibility of ensuring elimination of illicit SALW from areas of their jurisdiction. 7. That an enabling Legal Framework is established and strengthened to ensure effective litigation and punitive reprisal of all involved in illicit SALW, embracing best practices benchmarked against International standards. 8. That Policy and Legal Frameworks be improved by expediting the adoption of several draft policies the SALW Policy and Peace Building and Conflict Transformation policy be adopted; the Cattle Rustling Protocol be pursued to logical conclusion and the Firearms Act be reviewed. These should go hand in hand with other security sector reform agenda and instruments; for instance the legislation of the National Police Service Bill, Independent Policing Oversight Authority Bill, National Police Service Commission Bill, Private Security Industry Regulatory Bill and the Coroners Service Bill. 9. That RESCA member states should enforce the Nairobi Protocol and other Best Practice guidelines to ensure regional cooperation and concerted action plans. There has been positive progress in implementation of Nairobi Protocol. It is possible to bring on board the new state of Southern Sudan and forge common fronts on regional management of SALW. 10. That effort and resources be deployed for comprehensive capacity development of security officers, KPR, Administrators and KNFP personnel on all areas appertaining to SALW. That will include institutional strengthening of key stakeholders and partners and establishment of strategic linkages at different levels. 11. That effort is made to connect national level institutional reforms and local level peace and security initiatives. District Task Forces on SALW and District Peace Committees are structures that can be supported and sustained. Further, policy frameworks, such as the Kenya National Focal Point on SALW (KNFP)-formulated Small Arms Policy and the National Steering Committee on Peacebuilding and Conflict Management (NSC)-formulated Peace Policy need to be adopted by the government. These policies will effectively help bridge the gap between the national and local level initiatives. 12. Pastoralist communities livelihoods should be strengthened through investing in better livestock breeds, restocking and introducing alternative livelihoods to complement their livestock economy. Irrigation farming, tourism, mining and other economic activities have been tried in some areas and seen to work. 13. There is a need for deliberate initiatives to build public confidence in the police. This should be through re-energizing community policing efforts by ensuring community policing forums round the country are active as avenues of police-public cooperation in security management; motivation of security officers; undertaking regular reshuffles of police officers to curtail their involvement in crime when they overstay in one station; building capacity for customer care and establishing a complaint management system as well as establishing reporting mechanism on SALW which ensures confidentiality. 14. That the early warning system, established under the IGAD protocol on early warning and early response, and run by the NSC as Kenya s Country Early Warning and Early Response Unit (CEWERU), be strengthened with deeper engagement of KNFP on SALW aspects. There should also be elaborate mechanisms for reporting arms trafficking, prevalence and use. KNFP should in effect be able to train countrywide field monitors on reporting arms dynamics. 15. That regular research should be conducted on various aspects of SALW and mapping should be undertaken every 5 years to analyse new and emerging trends. Localised surveys can be undertaken to identify further dynamics for determination and implementation of domesticated action plans. Given that what would work in North Eastern may not succeed in North Rift; it also follows that what works among the pastoralists may not apply in urban set up. 16. That profiling of SALW status in Kenya and engagement with media should be widely used in 44 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace, 2011 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace,

31 undertaking community education and awareness creation on SALW matters. 17. That further data mining be undertaken to derive optimal information from this survey. Reports can be prepared for specific regions and stakeholders like LEA, CSOs among others thematic stakeholders. Scenario building is possible dependent on areas of interest. For instance what were the views of women on various arms related concerns in Samburu or North Rift or any other area for instance? 18. Those adequate resources should be provided in all hot spots to support the law enforcement agencies and provide deterrent to any security threats at the local level. The resources should be centred at some vantage and central point for rapid deployment. Mobile rapid response units with communication equipment, transport (land and air), personnel and other logistical support can also add value. 19. That Kenya adopts the Ugandan example (certainly with modifications after a thorough study) and uses the Kenya Armed Forces to patrol the international borders. This will require establishment of determined barracks or camps and determination of relationship between it and the citizenry but ensuring maintenance of formal distance to avoid spill-over effects. However in Kenya, an alternative force could be the Administration Police Unit which has a paramilitary training or any other specially trained force which could rely more on intelligence and preferably equipped to supported community policing and community development or a combination of several forces, each with a defined role. 20. The government should plan to undertake a total disarmament across the entire country. But this will require international co-operation between RECSA member states (joint disarmament), otherwise it is unwise to disarm Kenyan communities yet they are exposed to obvious attacks from their neighbours. 21. That piecemeal disarmament should be discontinued. It is unproductive and only serves to harden the affected communities. However with criminalization and review of the firearms Act, it will be necessary to review its implications especially among the pastoralists communities. Recommendations to the Private Sector 1. There should be a think tank that investigates, analysis and recommends the most efficient and effective contribution that the private sector can make in peace and security. This strategy should also make it attractive to the private sector to invest in peace. 2. The National Steering Committee for Peace building and Conflict Management should directly engage bodies like the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) and the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) and the Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE) on how they can participate proactively in peace and security. 3. The private sector should explore ways of mentoring the youth to ensure they become responsible in peace building. The government should provide incentives to make it attractive for the private sector to invest in peace building and conflict management. Civil society should seek constructive ways to engage the private sector in times of peace in order to build momentum and goodwill that will be required in times of turmoil. The government should consider compensating businesses that are affected by social conflicts when they are compensating people. 4. The private sector should ensure that the consumers are not supplied with substandard goods. In the process of profit making, the private sector must also be sensitive to the needs of the community by not overpricing their goods and services. The private sector should also ensure that the environment is sustainable by responsible discharge of effluents away from settlement areas and adhering to the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) standards. The private sector can also provide funds to educate the community on the major problems affecting them and ensuring that they become proactive in peace building and conflict management. 5. Kenyans of all walks of life must make the business of peace building and conflict managment their business and more so those who are well informed should take the lead to foster sustainable peace and security for development. The role of the private sector in peace building is constructing a peace friendly business environment. Balancing the national interests against commercial interests is necessary for the private sector to play its due role for peace building in Kenya 6. In addition,it was also noted that for peace to prevail especialy in a working environment there must be; Disaster prepairedness and management: majorly in industrial areas and that all staff need to be trained on disaster management and first aid Security for all must be ensured. In places where there are cases of insecurity, the staff need to be released on time. The working environment must be conducive for better results There should be promotions based on merit to motivate staff Individual religion must be respected Equity and equality should be adhered to The overall focus basically is to ensure peace in the mind, body and soul for maximum output for the business firm and also for peace in society Recommendations to the Media 1. The media has to exercise social responsibility and the public must also refrain from bribing the media. There needs to be strong partnership between media and civil society in order to advance social justice. The media must exercise a high sense of discretion such as ethnic sensitive reporting. 2. There should be a minimum wage or fair remuneration especially for correspondents. The media must uphold ethical standards of journalism enforced by Media Council of Kenya (MCK), more so in discussions about democracy and conflict; that are mostly contested areas in the power struggle. Citizens should empower themselves through use of alternative media platforms such as citizen 46 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace, 2011 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace,

32 journalism, short text messaging (SMS) and twitter. The media must promote dialogue on conflict issues in society. 3. The media should be more conflict sensitive in their reporting and individual journalists should take responsibility to change the situation. The media should learn more about conflict analysis and peace building. The media should avoid stories that dehumanize people because that increases the justification for violence towards them, including genocide. The media houses have a core and moral responsibility to report objectively. 4. The media should be a champion of positive change by highlighting progressive role models and success stories. The public has a responsibility to engage with media to discuss ways and means of mainstreaming peace and security agenda. The Government should demand high standards from the media 5. Though there are policies guiding the operations of the media, they are often not enforced. To avoid interests driven recruitment into the Media Council of Kenya, in future candidates will be interviewed by the Public Service Commission. The Media Council is currently looking into regulating media ownership in Kenya although this move has been met by opposition from interested parties. The MCK is now developing a policy on media as currently there is none. 6. The Public Complaints Commission (Ombudsman) has power to make recommendations to Government and Communication Commission of Kenya (CCK) on policy related issues, developing curriculum for journalists to professionalize the practice and to state the minimum wage for journalists. The media in Kenya should be professionalized, observing the code of media ethics, respect for diversity and shades of opinions and experiences. Articles or news items should advance human rights, gender sensitivity and provide the context. 7. The media should cover efforts of peace initiatives and activities not just conflict. Media needs to be focused on development reporting as opposed to concentrating on politics as is the case today. The people have the power and responsibility to change the media agenda, it is not only a responsibility of the journalists; each one of us has a role to play. We must collectively devise ways and means of dealing with ethnicity. Articles need to focus on common interests of the community or the country. The consumers of media products /community should monitor the media. They are best suited to monitor media content. Recommendations to the Peace and Security Sector 1. Peace begins with us at the individual level and civil society and Government agencies must play their respective roles to enhance peace and security. The Equalization Fund should be put in place as soon as possible. Peace education in schools is vital in order to mould a peace loving culture and equip young people with conflict resolution skills. 2. Security sector reforms (SSR) are required in order to create a democratic; human rights protecting police, judiciary, correctional services and the military. Parliament must also play an effective oversight role over the security sector. Implementation of the new constitution is necessary for long term peace and security. The NCIC must continue holding political actors into account and promoting cohesion and national integration 3. International development partners support is also required. Kenya must continue to implement antiterrorism act. The government must also continue building cross border management institutions and assist in resolving neighbouring countries conflicts such as Somalia in the IGAD framework. SALW proliferation must be eradicated since no one is safe as long as the SALW are in place. Comprehensive cross border disarmament efforts are required to disarm neighbouring communities at the same time rather than making some people vulnerable. There is a need to strengthen peace and security legislations and implementation of policies. 4. The NSC should continue playing a good role in coordinating peace efforts. Implementation of MDGs and building partnerships with different sectors should also be enhanced. Development partners should fund preventive initiatives rather than react to the fire. There is a need for continuous building of capacities of DPCs. 5. Continuous civic education on the new constitution is needed. Efforts of NSC and NCIC and other partners that are going down to the Counties such as; Nakuru, Bungoma, Mt. Elgon, and Migori to embrace dialogue and peace even beyond 2012, should continue. 6. Poverty and hunger should be viewed as violence. The United Nations defines peace as freedom from fear and want. Therefore poverty eradication should be addressed through faithful implementation of the new constitution and through the implementation of the broad based vision 2030 policy. Recommendations by the Religious Sector 1. To the religious sector, it was recommended that there should be emphasis to use those spiritual resources in individual traditions which promote the values which are fundamental to the culture of peace. The religious sector should therefore promote responsible interpretations of texts and traditions that are used or misused to promote strife among people. 2. This sector should lead by example and as role models should seek to address conflicts and representatives of our religious traditions with peaceful means, transforming situations of conflicting interests into opportunities for dialogue and cooperation. 3. It was recommended that the sector should foster spiritual growth among people within the various religious traditions and to develop the formational side of religions which encourage people to play a role in society as promoters of values of peace while showing in practice their respect for those of other faiths, convictions and/or points of view. 4. This sector should as well ensure that the values of a culture of peace are known and promoted in all institutions and settings where there is religious education or training for children, thus ensuring that 48 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace, 2011 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace,

33 new generations grow up well equipped to meet the challenges of plural societies where people of different backgrounds must live together peacefully. 5. It is also recommendable that the sector seeks opportunities to promote policies and decisions in the political sphere that further peace. Harmoniously, this sector should lift its voice across religious divides against forces which promote violence and impede dialogue. Stakeholders in this sector should encourage all those within various faith communities and who are involved in practical work of charity to understand themselves as ambassadors of a culture of peace and thus take part in finding inspiration to strengthen and develop this concrete caring expression of religions. 6. The sector should also foster inter-religious dialogue among all people in Kenya and at all levels, from the local communities to national and international levels. The sector should encourage all to take note of the principles for inter-religious dialogue spelt out in the Declaration of the International Day of Peace. 7. It was further recommended that the religious sector should explore life and activities of the various religious communities critically in order to understand how and when these can be an obstacle to peace. The sector should therefore engage in intra-religious dialogue with, and when necessary to confront those who promote practices and/or traditions that are incompatible with peaceful coexistence. It is thus recommended that the religious sector remains open to cooperate with all people of good will and all institutions, religious or not, in order to promote the basic values of a culture of peace. 8. Further to the recommendations above, it is suggested that the religious sector should harness conceited explorations and to make the content of this declaration known to religious people across the African continent as a way of showing lasting commitment to its values and ideas recognizing that a this is the best way to sustain the culture of peace. In order to achieve sustainable peace and security, amicable ways of conflict mitigation must of necessity insulate respective religions from bigotry that threatens the integrity of religion. 9. Overall, it is recommended that the NSC to convene and facilitate an inter-religious session where religious leaders and their followers are encouraged to honestly deliberate and act on past negative interactions. It is also important to conduct national mapping on challenges of inter and multi religious in order to foster cooperation for peace and security in Kenya. Recommendations for enhancing Peace and Security for Women and the Youth 1. Young people s potential can be harnessed for political, socio-economic change and they should work together to enhance their strength as change agents. Women can be used to persuade their men against engaging in conflicts, and they can also assist in surrendering arms during disarmament exercises. Women have also been noted as vital in providing early warning information which they might overhear from their men. 2. There is need for young people to take the initiatives of creating opportunities that will lead to their economic empowerment rather than waiting for the government to so or over relying on the formal sector. It was emphasized that when the youth are economically empowered they get a lot of choices, and therefore cannot be used by political bigwigs to further their often negative agendas. The youth were cautioned that when they engage in violence, it affects them negatively. There is need for each of them to take responsibility for peace, environment, and their social and economic wellbeing in order to be agents of positive change within the society. 3. It was noted that during the post-election violence in 2007, the youth were the majority of perpetrators and also victims, however they also happen to be members of most peace initiatives in different spheres of the country. There is need to highlight the activities of peace actors at different levels of the society and also promote youth empowerment through education activities or edu-tainment which is using entertainment as a mode of passing messages to youth as a powerful medium of communication. Government agencies and civil society should initiate cultural exchange programs which will help dissolve negative stereotypes and demystify negative attitudes and beliefs that may be present in communities. 4. There is need for the youth and women to partner in peace initiative. The youth are mobilizing themselves into a formidable force especially in relation to the political front. Effective coordination is needed in conflict early warning to prevent a repeat of 2007 post-election violence in Youth are perceived as trouble makers and conflict actors, there is need to change that perception through positive engagements in the society. 5. Women and young people should be actively involved in political parties/youth/women groups so as to promote their agenda. They should also come up with mechanisms for peaceful protests other than resorting to violence. There is a lot of emphasis on inter-tribal peace building while there should also be intra-tribal reconciliation especially in places where people of similar ethnic groups who had differing political ideologies were affected in the post-election violence. 6. There is a need to empower women because they are mostly affected in conflicts for lack of socioeconomic and political empowerment. There is need for young people and other actors of 2007 postelection violence to take responsibility so as to be able to move on and avoid a repeat of the postelection violence. There is need for the actors in peace and security in Kenya to reflect on past conflict situations both positive and negative and adopt what is positive and shun what did not work out. 7. Education is vital in empowering and creating choices for young people and women. Women should support each other in the competition for leadership roles. There is need to promote the importance of the family unit, usually a dysfunctional family structure translates to a dysfunctional society. Both parents/guardians needs to be involved in the upbringing of children so as to instill positive values in them, since what is learnt in the family will be passed on to the society. 8. There is need for internal vigilance in the implementation of the new constitution because it focuses on a peaceful transition and promotes peaceful co-existence. A common problem for most Kenyans is economic vulnerability, which is manifested through tribal hate politics. Therefore economic 50 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace, 2011 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace,

34 empowerment for majority of women and youth population is required. 9. Women and youth should be the change agents within the society. Drug barons should be identified and prosecuted though they are formidable forces that often go unchallenged. There is also a need to change cultures that promote conflict, women suppression and negative stereotyping and adopt more positive ones. Recommendations to enhance Transitional Justice 1. There is a need for Kenyans to draw lessons that have been learned from previous violence in the country. The National Peace Forum and other similar events are a golden opportunity to address these scenarios. There is still a need for full translation of the national peace processes to peace dividends at the grass root level. There is a need for civic education to understand what the constitution is all about including what the TJRC is doing 2. Kenyans must come to terms with the truth and they must hold politicians accountable to their words and promises - there should be no room for deception/lies. The clergy should be fully encompassed in all processes of transitional justice mechanisms so as to have an input towards refining them from a religious perspective. 3. Quality of leadership in all sectors of the country especially politics needs to be looked into; this in terms what is the integrity and past records of various post holders and their ability to deliver. Kenyans should promote leadership based on issues /voter education is necessary to make voters choose leaders according to their character and not their wealth 4. The constitution does give a good framework on transitional justice mechanisms but impunity needs to be stopped, past injustices still need to be addressed and the recommendations of various commissions have to be implemented and made public. 5. Conflicts and violence are outcomes of neglected accumulation of misdeeds and grievances and therefore conflict resolution mechanisms must put in place. Kenyans should be hopeful of getting transitional justice, since they have seen the fruits of the struggle for multi-party democracy in spite of the long period it has taken. 6. Reconciliatory efforts should be borrowed from the Rwandan case; where they have adopted best practices. Addressing the land issue especially squatters should be a priority. There is a need for Kenyans to change their value system so that we don t glorify wealth irrespective of how it was acquired. The country should work on efficient dispensation of justice since justice is at the center of peace. 7. Restitution, reparation, amnesty, reconciliation, memorialization, among other transitional justice mechanisms; have to take place in the country for sustainable place. TJRC should tighten their efforts with the provincial administration to boost reconciliatory efforts countrywide. The police force should be empowered to effectively work on issues of peace. 8. For there to be meaningful peace there should be justice for past human rights violations. The youth should be integrated in all efforts of transitional justice. The media which stands in society as an authoritative channel of communication should be used to boost transitional justice in Kenya. (Endnotes) 1 Steve Asterisk, Garissa Boasts the Biggest Livestock Market in East and Central Africa in The Star, 18 May 2011, Online: (Accessed on 8th August 2011) 2 Quoted in OCHA, (May 2008, p.1) 3 Ministry of Planning and National Development (2007, p.9) 4 Police Reforms Implementation Committee, (2011, p.vii) 5 An example is the action plan developed between Kenya and Ethiopia during cross-border meeting in November 2009 by CEWARN and IGAD 52 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace, 2011 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace,

35 ANNEXURE 1 SPEECH BY HON. (PROF.) GEORGE SAITOTI, E.G.H, M.P MINISTER OF STATE FOR PROVINCIAL ADMINISTRATION AND INTERNAL SECURITY, ON THE OCCASION OF THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE: 21 ST SEPTEMBER 2011 AT THE KENYATTA INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTRE (KICC), NAIROBI. Hon. Mutula Kilonzo, Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Dr. Manu Chandaria, Co-Chair, Global Peace Festival Foundation, Mr. Aeneas Chuma, UNDP Kenya Resident Representative, Dr. Mzalendo Kibunjia, Chairman, NCIC, Distinguished Participants, Ladies and Gentlemen, I am delighted to officiate at this important occasion marking the launching of this year s international day of peace. This day provides as an opportunity to reflect on achievements as a country in our collective endeavor to build a peaceful and secure nation free from danger and fear. As you are aware, the National Peace Forum is a platform that provides space for a wide range of actors for consultation, collaboration, co-operation and co-ordination of matters related to peace and conflict. The forum will therefore provide a great opportunity for representatives from Government, United Nations Agencies, private sector, Civil Society Organizations and development partners to deliberate and come up with lasting solutions on matters related to peace and conflict. Ladies and Gentlemen, As stated in the Kenya Vision 2030, peace and security are the corners stones for development for without peace, no meaningful investment can take place in our country. Kenya has experienced various types of conflict in the recent past ranging from internal disputes between different communities to violent crossborder conflicts with groups from neighboring countries. The causes of these conflicts are varied and complex ranging from political, poverty and competition over access and ownership of scarce resources. Over time, the conflicts have been exacerbated by the prevalence of illicit small arms and light weapons and mushrooming of organized criminal gangs particularly in urban settings. Whenever conflicts have manifested themselves violently, they have caused extensive damage to life, property and the economy in general. Indeed the Post Election Violence experienced in Kenya in 2008 is a pointer to the fact that when left unresolved, internal challenges can result in very severe consequences. In less than 3 weeks, more than 300,000 people were displaced from their homes, over 1,000 were killed, and property of huge value was destroyed. Moreover, the economy plummeted from an all time high of 7 percent of the GDP to 1.7 percent in the same period. Compounded by other factors such as; climate change and prolonged drought; the world economic downturn; influx of refugees and illicit weapons from neighboring countries; high rate of youth unemployment; and slow pace of reconciliation among communities particularly in the Rift Valley, the effects of the 2008 conflict continue to pose challenges to our national progress. To mitigate these challenges and to address the operational, policy, institutional and legislative weaknesses in our policing agencies, the ministry is implementing comprehensive police reforms to ensure that the violence witnessed in 2007 does not recur. Already, the National Police Service Act is operational. The Act brings together the Kenya Police Service and the Administrative Police Service under one command of the Inspector General, provides for functions and responsibilities of each Service. Enactment of this legislation paves way for the appointment of Inspector General and two deputies who will command the two services. The National Police Service Commission Bill on the other hand was passed by Parliament and is awaiting Presidential Assent to become law. The Commission, once operationalized will bring the police under a dedicated body responsible for issues relating to recruitment, training, deployment, promotion and disciplinary control of the members of the service. The Independent Policing Oversight Authority Bill has gone through the first reading in Parliament and was scheduled to be debated in Parliament before the house went on recess. I expect the Bill to be finalized as soon as Parliament resumes. Ladies and Gentlemen, The reforms being undertaken are meant to improve provision of policing services to Kenyans by transforming the police into professional, accountable and people focused security agencies that Kenyans can trust for their security and safety. The reforms also seek to address the operational weaknesses of the police and address their welfare. I note with satisfaction that since the establishment of National Steering Committee on Peace building and Conflict Management, we have as a country made great strides towards achieving sustainable peace, security and development as is demonstrated by the following key initiatives among others: Developed a complementary 5 year Strategic Plan for the period 2008/12 on Peace building and Conflict Management; Established, streamlined and formalized operations of community based peace structures in districts. To date, there are 150 District Peace Committees operational countrywide. Facilitated community peace dialogues, reconciliation and social contracts for cohesion among warring communities namely the Pokot, Turkana, Samburu and Somalia; 54 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace, 2011 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace,

36 In addition, my ministry is currently carrying out a survey to mop out illegal small arms and light weapons countrywide as a strategy of establishing sustainable peace and security for all Kenyans. I am also confident that with the enactment of the new Constitution, most of our youth will be integrated into many leadership positions thus providing them with an opportunity to contribute effectively to national development. The new constitution has imbued the country with a reinvigorated democratic culture that has empowered the citizens to participate in formulation of the national agenda including policy processes and decisions. I wish to assure you all that the government is committed to the full implementation of the constitution to ensure that Kenyans enjoy its fruits in totality. Ladies and Gentlemen, I am encouraged to note that intercommunity conflicts have reduced greatly in the country. This can be attributed to the ongoing concerted efforts by government, civil society, private sector, development partners and communities in establishing a vibrant national peace infrastructure and support for various security sector reforms. Through such efforts, the country GDP growth has been reversed from a decline of 1.7 per cent 3 years ago to a high of 4 percent currently. In this regard, I wish to thank all stakeholders represented here for their efforts and commitment in making Kenya a secure country for all of us and urge each one of us to redouble our efforts so that we can actualize the long term national vision of achieving a GDP growth rate of 10 percent per annum. In conclusion Ladies and Gentlemen, I wish to call upon all communities to embrace peaceful coexistence and to initiate dialogue and reconciliation on any conflict situation among them without resulting to violence. The Government will continue to support any peace initiatives through the existing peace structures to ensure that all Kenyans leave peacefully and to create an environment that is conducive for sustainable economic development. Finally, I wish to reiterate three issues that I have earlier spoken about for the benefit of our people. The first is the production and consumption of illicit brews that is claiming the lives of Kenyans at an alarming rate. This trend cannot be allowed to continue and I once again direct all the agencies concerned to deal decisively with those concerned so that we are able to save our young people. Secondly is the issue of the ever increasing deaths resulting from road carnage. We have recently witnessed too many road accidents resulting from careless and drunken driving causing deaths to hundreds of innocent Kenyans. It is only this week that lives of innocent Kenyans were lost along Thika Garissa Road. We must restore sanity on our roads at all costs to ensure the safety of our people. I direct the police to deal firmly and decisively with those driving carelessly and under the influence of alcohol. I am also appealing to our people to support government efforts in dealing with road carnage. The third issue concerns siphoning of oil by our people. We all recall the sad incident at Sinai Village last week that claimed lives of more than 100 Kenyans. I am saddened to note that only last night, another four lives were lost in Busia in similar circumstances. I wish to appeal to all our people to refrain from siphoning oil as this amounts to endangering their lives. I wish to take this opportunity to appeal to all our leaders from all walks of life to work closely and collectively with the government as we deal with these three catastrophes. For us as a country to win this war, we must work together for the good of our people. With these few remarks, It is now my great pleasure to declare the commemoration of this year s International Day of Peace officially launched. THANK YOU. 21 st September Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace, 2011 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace,

37 ANNEXURE 2 REMARKS BY HON. MUTULA KILONZO, EGH, EBS, MCIArb, SC, MP, MINISTER FOR JUSTICE NATIONAL COHESION AND CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS DELIVERED AT THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE HELD AT THE KICC NAIROBI WEDNESDAY, 21 ST SEPTEMBER, 2011 Hon. Prof. George Saitoti, Minister of State for Provincial Administration and Internal Security, Mr. Aeneas Chuma, UNDP Resident Representative, The Permanent Secretary Ministry of State for Provincial Administration and Internal Security, The NSC Coordinator, Honorable Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, 1. It is my great pleasure to be here today to join you, members and key stakeholders of the National Peace Forum, during this august forum which forms part of a series of events for celebrating the International Day of Peace. I am pleased that all of you have taken time off your busy schedules and gathered here to restate our individual and collective commitment and purpose towards promoting, achieving and maintaining the ideals of peace and security for our communities, our country and the whole world. Looking at the high calibre of speakers lined up for this meeting and the enthusiasm with which participants appear to be ready to discuss issues of peace and security, I am certain that the objectives of this meeting will be achieved and that its outcome will have a bearing in sustainable peace and development in our country. Ladies and Gentlemen 2. Nothing so far in human history has preoccupied the minds of men that the pursuit of peace. The XIVth Dalai Lama said that, Human Beings, indeed all sentient beings, have the right to pursue happiness and live in peace and freedom. Mr. Daisaku Ikeda a Buddhist leader, prolific writer, educator and more notably a peace builder, concurs with this assessment stating that, Nothing is more precious than peace. Peace is the most basic starting point for the advancement of humankind. 3. In an ever competitive world, it is evident that the world is turning more and more towards non confrontational means of conflict resolution. As a developing nation we must look yonder and see that the most developed of nations have continuously enjoyed relative peace. Peace therefore is a prerequisite for prosperity. It is clear in my mind that where we have tensions we must find a way to inculcate peace and where there is relative calm we must wage a war to maintain that peace against the forces of evil. Ladies and Gentlemen, 4. Turning back a few pages in our annals of history, we find the dark days of early 2008 when Kenya was almost engulfed in a civil war not much unlike those that have been experienced by many of our African neighbours. Yet, everyone on the continent sat up, took note, shook their heads and said firmly that Kenya must not be allowed to travel down the same path that we have. As a result of the intervention of our brothers and sisters across the continent, we returned to the old peaceful ways that were associated with being Kenyan. 5. The government did not sit on its laurels and take for granted the calm that had returned to Kenya. We made conscious efforts towards maintaining this peace. First of all we took advantage of the opportunity to kick-start and pass the Constitution in This Constitution guarantees peace to every Kenyan by virtue of the expanded and very elaborate Bill of Rights under Chapter 3 of the Constitution. These rights and freedoms singularly and collectively contribute to the peace of the individual and of the nation. As the former UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali, at the World Conference on Human Rights on 14 th June 1993 said, The human rights we are to discuss here at Vienna are...the quintessential values through which we affirm together that we are a single human community. Ladies and Gentlemen, 6. The Government went on further to institute legal and institutional reforms as demanded by the Constitution and the people of Kenya. It was never lost upon us in government that one of the main reasons for the post-election violence was the breakdown in institutions and the resultant loss of confidence especially in the electoral and judicial systems. 7. As we speak we have a new Electoral Law and a body to select persons to be appointed to the new Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission has been appointed and is shortly to begin the exercise of interviewing applicants. On the other hand the Judiciary and related institutions received a major overhaul. First, the Chief Justice and the Attorney General were among the first public officials to be retired under the Constitution. A new Attorney General and Chief Justice have since been appointed. The introduction of the Supreme Court, the separation of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions from the Office of the Attorney General and the much anticipated vetting of judges and magistrates is geared towards the revamping of the judicial system and creating a conducive environment for the people of Kenya to regain trust in it. 58 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace, 2011 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace,

38 8. As a Ministry, we have also secured the extension of the tenure of the Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC). This Commission will make one of the most elaborate transitional justice measures, by providing the opportunity to Kenyans to tell it all with a view to diminishing our mutual suspicions and repairing our social fabric. More importantly, it is noteworthy that it seeks to promote restorative justice as opposed to retributive justice, which in most African societies has been seen as counter-productive in the management of post-conflict situations and the search for stable peace. 9. On its part, the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) is doing a tremendous work in helping us draw the distinctions of appropriate ethnic pride and destructive bigotry and hate. The bottom line is that the Constitution creates a Kenya wherein we take pride in our diverse legacies and forge ahead together. 10. These reforms in governance will coincide with other equally important reforms identified under the National Dialogue and Reconciliation Programme. These include, enhancing equity, youth employment, police reforms. The progress we are making in implementing the National Vision 2030 will go a long way in opening this country economically through advance in technology and better infrastructure. Ladies and Gentlemen, 11. Dialogue and the appreciation of diversity are major prerequisites to attaining peace in our country. Moshe Dayan an Israeli military leader and politician was of the opinion that, If you want to make peace, you don t talk to your friends. You talk to your enemies. Similarly Ralph Waldo Emerson said that, Peace cannot be achieved through violence, it can only be attained through understanding. 14. I pray that continued support is given towards the process of development and the eventual implementation of the policy. As the Minister responsible for National Cohesion, I pledge the support of my Ministry towards this exercise. I also urge the participation of all Kenyans in the process in a gesture of good faith and brotherly love toward each other. Ladies and Gentlemen, 15. In conclusion, I wish to reiterate the need for peace for the continued growth and development of our motherland. I will further remind you of the prayer that is our national anthem that we may among other things dwell in peace and liberty and have plenty to be found in our borders. As I stand here I certain that the debate on this day will be addressed towards this prayer and the resolutions which I eagerly await will provide an initial road map of how best we can forge on in this quest. I thank you. Hon. Mutula Kilonzo, EGH, EBS, SC, MCIArb, MP MINISTER FOR JUSTICE NATIONAL COHESION AND CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS 12. The establishment of a National Peace Forum is key to fostering dialogue across regional, religious, social, political and sectoral divides. It is also key in terms of reminding us that despite our different persuasions are still one people. This forum will continue to be instrumental in the long run in providing a platform to assess whether or not we have achieved peace through integration of all persons into our socio-political and economic society. It will also provide an avenue through which challenges can be raised and we can chart a way forward on how best to address these challenges. Ladies and Gentlemen, 13. In the words of Eleanor Roosevelt, who once said, It isn t enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn t enough to believe in it. One must work at it. The Government of Kenya alongside the various stakeholders and partners is developing a Policy on Peace Building and Conflict Management. This Policy will be a key instrument which in my view, can be utilized to give structure to efforts aimed at promoting peace, national cohesion and integration. 60 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace, 2011 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace,

39 ANNEXURE 3 Presentation Notes by the Ag Permanent Secretary Transitional Justice, Social Cohesion, Integration and Reconciliation during the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International day of peace: 21 st September, Introduction The Post Election violence of 2008 demonstrated to all of us that the peace we have enjoyed over the years cannot be taken for granted. Peace must be built and maintained by all us. The crisis triggered by the disputed presidential elections brought to the surface long standing divisions within the Kenyan society. To resolve the crisis and ensure sustainable peace many reforms were recommended under the National Accord signed by His Excellency the President and the Right Honourable Prime Minister. The National Dialogue and Reconciliation process witnessed the signing of several agreements aimed at resolving the underlying causes of the post election. This has provided a basis for the implementation of far-reaching reforms. To find durable solutions to these persistent problems, the principles identified and resolved to make commitments that would address the fundamental root causes of the post election violence and create a stable, secure and prosperous Kenya. The Statement of Principles on Long Term Issues and Solutions prioritized particular areas of reform, including: a. Undertaking constitutional, legal and institutional reforms- the proposed reforms include police reforms, judicial reforms, parliamentary reform, executive reform and civil service reform. b. Consolidating national cohesion and unity- that seeks to establish the National Cohesion and Integration Commission c. Undertaking land reforms- establish the factor responsible for conflicts over land, formulate and implement actionable recommendations on the issue. These reforms form key priorities for the Medium Term Plan ( ) of the Kenya Vision Through the Ministry of Justice, National Cohesion and Constitutional Affairs, the Government has made tremendous progress including: a. The promulgation and implementation of the Constitution of Kenya b. The establishment and operationalization of the Interim Independent Electoral Commission (IIEC), the Interim Independent Boundaries Review Commission (IIBRC), the Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC), the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) and the Interim Independent Constitutional Dispute Resolution Court (IICDRC). 2. The Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC) To address historical injustices and to promote healing and reconciliation, Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission Act, 2008 was established to create a commission that would establish an accurate, complete and historical record of violations and abuses of human rights and economic rights on persons by non state actors, the state, public institutions and holders of public office both serving and retired between 12th December 1963 and 28th February The TJRC is also mandated with the responsibility of investigating the causes and circumstances, under which violations and abuses occurred, identify the victims of the violations, investigate economic crimes, educate and engage the public and give sufficient publicity to its work. The Commission has developed tools that will be used to solicit submissions from the public and it has commenced the initial phase of hearings in Mount Elgon and North Eastern province. The TJRC s term has been extended for one year to facilitate the commission to complete its work. 3. The National Cohesion and Integration Department The department of National Cohesion is responsible for the development of policy has initiated the facilitation of the formulation of the National Values for Kenya draft policy in conjunction with the National Economic and Social Council (NESC). Further the department has facilitated the development of policy including: a. The Policy on National Cohesion and Integration To promote social cohesion the commission has commenced the process of formulation of a coordinated Policy on Cohesion and Integration in partnership with the Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis (KIPPRA). b. Policy Legislation and Institutional Framework for National Values System for Kenya The Ministry established the Task Force on the policy, legislation and institutional framework for the 62 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace, 2011 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace,

40 national values system for Kenya to prepare a draft policy for the operationalization and institutionalization of the national values and principles of governance. ANNEXURE 4 The Task Force will further prepare draft legislation for the effective and sustainable implementation of the national values and principles through stakeholder and public consultations. The policy and the legislation shall seek to develop consensus on the national values policy, legislation and institutional framework envisaged in the Constitution. The Task Force is expected to complete its tasks by September The National Steering Committee on the policy, legislation and institutional framework for the National Values System for Kenya was established to support, coordinate and oversee the functions of the Task Force on the policy, legislation and institutional framework for the National Values System (NVS) for Kenya The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) This is a dedicated instution that seeks to address issues of national cohesion and integration by eliminating ethnic discrimination and hate speech and promoting harmonious relations between ethnic communities. The Commission works with various communities and stakeholders and it has made considerable success in preventing hate speech by identifying hate mongers and recommending their prosecution during campaigns The Elders Conference The National Cohesion Department and the NCIC coordinated the first National Cohesion and Integration Conference held between 13 th and 16 th April This conference brought together key actors and stakeholders to discuss the future of Kenya and the role of elders in the promotion of national cohesion and integration was ignited. 4. The Constitution The preamble acknowledges the diversity of the Kenyan republic and our determination to live as one indivisible nation. The national values and principles of governance include national unity, democracy, participation of the people, non-discrimination, and protection of the marginalized as some of the values that bolster social cohesion and integration. To strengthen the implementation of national values, Article 132 requires the President to in an address to the nation, on all the measures taken and the progress achieved in the realization of the national values, referred to in Article 10. National Peace Forum and the International Day of Peace 20th 21st September 2011 Remarks By: Mr. Aeneas C. Chuma UNDP Resident Representative UN Resident Coordinator KICC, NAIROBI Minister of State for Provincial Administration and Internal Security, Honourable Prof. George Saitoti Minister for Justice, National Cohesion and Constitutional Affairs, Honourable Mutula Kilonzo PS, Ministry of State for Provincial Administration and Internal Security, Mr. Francis Kimemia Vice-Chair, National Cohesion and Integration Commission, Ms. Mary Onyango AP Commandant, Kinuthia Mbugua Co-chair, Global Peace Festival Foundation, Dr. Manu Chandaria Maendeleo ya Wanawake Chair, Mama Rukia Subow Coordinator, National Steering Committee on Peace Building and Conflict Management, SK Maina Provincial Commissioners Regional Coordinators and other state officers Colleagues from the diplomatic community Ladies and Gentlemen 64 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace, 2011 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace,

41 I am greatly honored to make a few remarks at this occasion of the International Day of Peace. It was just last week that my esteemed brother, the Hon. Mutula Kilonzo, Minister for Justice, National Cohesion and Constitutional Affairs and I took part in the events of the 5th anniversary of the commemoration of the International Day of Democracy, which this year focused on youth inclusion and democracy. Government of Kenya s dedication and broad-based involvement in these two observances goes to show its commitment to the issues of democracy and peace, which are central to a country s development. This is reinforced further by the fact that the UN has chosen the theme of Make Your Voice Heard, under the overall framework of peace and democracy, for this year s International Day of Peace. The International Day of Peace was established in 1981 by resolution 36/67 of the United Nations General Assembly. In 2001, through the adoption of resolution 55/282, the General Assembly established 21 September as the day in which to commemorate peace on an annual basis. This is the 30th anniversary of the International Day of Peace, and the UN urges all to give peace another chance. The UN Information Centre (UNIC) has launched a campaign to encourage Kenyans to share messages of peace through their mobile phones by sending the word peace to The campaign was officially launched on 13 September and runs until 31 October This will culminate in a ceremony on 10 November 2011 to appreciate those who will have participated and partnered in the venture. May I urge you all to make your voice heard by participating in this UN peace initiative. The Government through the NSC has also officially launched the early warning and rapid response framework. Amani 108 is the free sms service that alerts NSC of the situation in any part of the country. These initiatives will hopefully contribute to preventing violence in the run up to the 2012 elections and beyond. There are two countries in Africa that have a fully developed infrastructure for peace Kenya and Ghana. Kenya is way ahead of Ghana s peace infrastructure, and I commend the government for its leadership and all stakeholders who have contributed to this. For Kenya, the International Day of Peace day is particularly timely, even significant, coming as it does just over one year after the promulgation of a historic new Constitution. There is much to celebrate as we have witnessed historic changes and transformation processes across the country, and the yearning by Kenyans for peaceful and democratic processes. May I commend the work of the UWIANO Platform for Peace that resulted in a peaceful 2010 referendum and encourage consolidation of efforts towards strengthening conflict early warning and early response systems, as well as synergizing efforts for national cohesion and integration. However, we must be cognizant of the challenges that we have to overcome as a country by looking at the windows of opportunity. Worth mentioning is the devolution process in the counties, the reform of the judiciary, the ICC process, the upcoming general elections, among other reform processes that have implications on the peace and security fronts, depending on how they are managed. We all have a role to play in ensuring these processes do not become drivers of conflict and divide the nation, but become opportunities for nation building and cohesion. I commend the members of the National Steering Committee on Peace Building and Conflict Management (NSC) for organizing the National Peace Forum, yesterday. The forum provided a platform for both state and non-state actors from all over the country to share best practices, engage in partnership building and synergize efforts on social integration, as well as to identify ways in which Kenyans can address their internal challenges without resorting to violence. I have been advised that there were presentations and panel discussions that focused on the status of peace in the country; discussions of the draft National Policy on Peace-building and Conflict Management, and other themes which that were addressed. These included: transitional justice, peace and security, the role of various actors in relation to peace building and conflict management such as media, the private sector, religion, women and youth. Hopefully these discussions will inform the development and implementation of a strategic leadership agenda for 2012 and beyond, in view of the next general elections and the need to sustain the reform processes in the country. In taking stock of the country s peace and conflict status, we also need to deliberate on Kenya s ranking in the Global Peace Index, which ranks 153 countries around the world. Having gone through the index, I note that Kenya was ranked 91 in 2007; 119 in 2008; 113 in 2009; 120 in 2010; and 111 in Of concern is that Kenya s peace status in 2007 was much better than it is in In line with this, is the release of the recent report: The Second National Small Arms Mapping Survey, highlights of which were published in the Daily Nation of this past Sunday, 18 September The report paints a picture on the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the country, with statistics showing that 450,000 guns are illegally held, mainly by pastoralists and other elements. It would be useful to interrogate this further and come up with a roadmap to improve this status, more so, with an upcoming election next year. This speaks to the greater need to address Kenya s issues from a peace and governance perspective, among other development parameters. In the spirit of the International Day of Peace, I note the adoption of the national theme of Sustainable Peace: A Role for all Kenyans. I therefore wish to emphasize the importance of making your voices heard as you involve all Kenyans in achieving sustainable peace for the country. This includes meaningful involvement of all actors and Kenyans of all works of life in development, societal transformation, decision making, and peace-building processes. We need to salute peace champions, activists and ordinary people 1 Source: 66 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace, 2011 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace,

42 for their courage and determination to build a better Kenya. I am delighted to learn that today s events will culminate in the presentation of Peace Awards to individuals and institutions/organizations drawn from various sectors that have contributed to the consolidation, sustenance and enhancement of peace in the country. The American Anthropologist Margaret Mead once observed: ANNEXURE 5 U N I T E D N A T I O N S N A T I O N S U N I E S Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. I believe that gathered here today, we have such citizens, striving to achieve the goal of enhanced peace and security. I commend Dr. Manu Chandaria for his leadership in ensuring an increased role for the private sector in peace building and conflict prevention in Kenya. I encourage us all to maintain our focus on the steps that will keep us on this path of making our voices heard by ensuring that sustainable peace is a role for all Kenyans. This can only be achieved by providing spaces and platforms for a wide range of partners, actors and stakeholders to build synergy and leverage their efforts for conflict prevention and peace building in Kenya. Such a platform has been provided through the UWIANO Platform for peace. We set a standard in 2010 we cannot go below. Worth noting that the total cost for the conflict prevention and humanitarian response strategy was USD 700,000. The leadership of government in preventing conflict and violence in 2010 gives us confidence to hope that the 2012 elections and all other processes and transitions that could undermine stability, peace and unity, will be effectively transformed and violence prevented. I wish to conclude by reaffirming that the UN is committed to playing its part in making your voices heard in securing long-lasting peace, stability, security and development for Kenya. I thank you all for making the time to be part of this first-ever National Peace Forum and the 2011 International Day of Peace. UNDP-Kenya looks forward to continued fruitful collaboration with you all in these efforts. THE SECRETARY-GENERAL MESSAGE ON THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE New York, 21 September 2011 Every year on the International Day of Peace, people around the world commit to non-violence and to harmony among all peoples and nations. Peace is our mission; our day-to-day quest. This year s theme focuses on the timely issue of peace and democracy. Democracy is a core value of the United Nations. It is crucial for human rights. It provides channels for resolving differences. It gives hope to the marginalized and power to the people. But democracy does not just happen; it has to be nurtured and defended. The world needs you to speak out: for social justice and freedom of the press; for a clean environment and women s empowerment; for the rule of law and the right to a say in one s own future. This year, young people have been on the frontlines for freedom. I salute the activists and ordinary people for their courage and determination to build a better future. We at the United Nations will work in common cause to realize our shared aspirations for dignity, security and opportunity for all. To all those seeking peace, this is your day, and we are with you. Ban Ki-moon Ahsanteni sana 68 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace, 2011 Report of the National Peace Forum and Commemoration of the International Day of Peace,