In what seems like a more careful approach to the general elections, university leaders across the country have decided to involve youth in peace campaigns.
University and college students around the country, led by the University and Colleges Peace Association of Kenya (UCSPAK), have been called upon to sensitize their fellow youth on the need for a peaceful electoral season.
With 40 days left to the general elections, the peace campaigns were launched on 24th June 2022, hence the title name, ‘47 Days of Peace Campaign’. The rallying call to the youth for this initiative is ‘Nitatenda Wajibu Wangu!’
The event was attended by key stakeholders at the forefront of overseeing peaceful elections.
They included the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Mkenya Daima Initiative as well as various vice-chancellors of various universities and students under the Kenya university Dean of Student Association (KUDSA).
Ambassador Simon Nabukwesi CBS, Permanent Secretary, State Department for University Education and Research led the opening ceremony at the University of Nairobi. Nabukwesi called upon the IEBC and NCIC to create a name and shame accountability database of wayward politicians.
He resolved to affirm that this would allow Kenyans to objectively judge them and show the youth that there are consequences to hate speech and other malpractices.
“We need to continuously empower our election management bodies such as the IEBC, the NCIC and others, giving them arresting and prosecutorial powers to bring order in our political arena,”
He said.
“If this was instituted, then perhaps politicians and all of us would take seriously our obligations in contributing peace and cohesion.”
Remarks from UCSPAK
UCSPAK Managing Director Mr. Allan Chacha has echoed that the reason to have this peace campaign is so that they can build solidarity among young people on election matters to encourage young people to come out and vote in the remaining days of elections.
He also announced that UCSPAK had signed a three-year memorandum with TVETs to undertake voter education training in universities and colleges.
They are also working with the NCIC to lead peace activities and to enhance electoral knowledge in institutions of higher learning.
A pool of campus voter education Trainer of Trainers (TOTs) has also been created in 48 universities and colleges with more student leaders expected to receive the training.
UCSPAK seeks to lobby aspirants vying for county and national seats to sign a commitment not to use young people to cause conflict during and after the campaigns.
“UCSPAK welcomes this overwhelming multi-stakeholder support that we have received from our partners, and now we take the challenge to spread the message of leadership, peace and responsible electoral participation to our fellow students and Kenyan Youth across the country,”
Mr. Chacha stated.
Remarks from the NCIC
CEO of NCIC, Dr. Skitter Ocharo said that NCIC described the youth as outgoing people who would go out of their way to prevent violence and consolidate peace.
This is the reason why they have incorporated the youth in all programmatic work, initiatives and campaigns.
“Society requires ropes around the wrestling ring that is the political arena, to confine the shenanigans to where it belongs. The national peace infrastructure is those ropes.”
“I want to urge the youths to stop being used and or misused by the political class to engage in activities that could only result in violence and polarization of the nation. My call to the youth is to reject misinformation, disinformation, fake news, and hate speech”,
She said.
Remarks from Mkenya Daima Initiative
Dr. Vimal Shah, chairman of Mkenya Daima Initiative and Chancellor at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology has encouraged young people to stand up for accountability and to start taking ownership of the electoral process through positive participation in elections.
He said that they will work together with UCSPAK to engage with new and former voters between 18 years and 34 years on diverse topics around peaceful electioneering and responsible voting across 47 counties ahead of the elections.
“Voting is an all-important and empowering democratic process that enables us to exercise our right to elect men, and women who will determine the country’s socio-economic future, but it also comes with the responsibility to choose good leaders at every level.”
Said Vimal
Remarks from the Commission for University Education (CUE)
Professor Chacha Nyaigoti Chacha, chairman of CUE and UCSPAK advisory board said that it was gratifying to see young people vibrant and taking part in elections driven towards promoting peace and cohesion.
“With peace, we can grow our economy and our education, but we have indeed had some challenges necessitated by the routine processes that democracies around the world go through.”
“All of you students being representatives of thousands of other students, we hope that your commitment will remain the basis on which you will engage in this process of campaigning for peace and tolerance in these coming elections,”
Stated Prof. Chacha
Final remarks
The youth are most certainly the leaders of tomorrow and Kenya is now, more than ever, waking up to the realization and drive for freedom, peace and change. The youth play a very active role in the political scene which can be a make-or-break opportunity for the country.
Stephen Jackson, Resident Coordinator, the United Nations said,
“Young people feel frustrated and become susceptible to manipulation, but most of the youth are peaceful and productive; only a handful engage in violence,”
“Realizing that you have skin in the game is what ensures that your thirst for change remains positive rather than destructive and this is what we must work on together,”
He said.
Mimi ni Mkenya Daima. Nitatenda Wajibu Wangu!