Nandi Journalists Engaged on Peace and Cohesion

Nandi Hills

Tuesday, August 15, 2022

KNA by Ruth Mainye

Journalists in Nandi County were on Monday engaged on how to enhance peace and cohesion in the society in a bid to foster unity and coexistence in every community.

The engagement which was organised by a youth group in Nandi dubbed ‘Underit Youth Group (UYG) which is funded by USAID in partnership with Act! and Uraia Trust seeks to work with all stakeholders that can take part in amplifying peace messages in the society.

Speaking during the forum which was held in a hotel in Nandi Hills UYG coordinator Jacob Sanga noted that the media can serve as drivers of peace in diverse ways including building bridges between people and groups, improving governance and informing the public on the importance of participation on democratic processes. 

Sanga noted that one of the things that jeopardize peace in the society is the issue of boundaries especially along the County borders adding that the media can foster cohesion and peace among the communities by educating them on the importance of a peaceful coexistence as well as how to promote peace.

"We know peace could be disrupted in boundary issues. Media plays a key role in ensuring good governance, peace and cohesion in a Country. It is the media who can amplify peace messages to reach all people,” said Sanga. 

Francis Ng’eny the UYG project officer on his part shed light on the legal provisions in the boundary delimitation, an exercise that is expected to take place soon urging the media to play their role of informing the public to attend public participation forums to be able to raise their views and ensure boundaries are demarcated in such a way that will benefit the community by ensuring unity among communities.

Ng’eny noted that UYG had also engaged eight-day secondary schools along the Nandi-Kisumu, Nandi Vihiga and Nandi Kericho borders where they established peace clubs to act as a platform to discuss issues that threaten peace in different communities and how to overcome them thus help in promoting peace in the schools as well as their community at an early age.

Ng’eny called on the media to intervene in encouraging the youths to understand the need to take part in governance issues and all democratic processes noting that they are instrumental in ensuring peace and cohesion in a nation.

“One of the greatest challenges we have in our society is the lack of participation in democratic, electoral and governance processes. We want peace to exist even after electoral process. Peace and cohesion are key in the progression of any Country. We should utilize all platforms be it churches, school, barazas or chamas to pass on peace messages,” he said .

Ng’eny Sheila Jemutai, UYG assistance project officer called on youths to utilize social media platforms to preach peace as well as to educate the public on the importance of public participation towards good governance.

“Journalists and the youths are the most active in social media platforms thus can effectively utilize facebook, twitter, instagram and WhatsApp’s among others to pass on peace and cohesion messages as well as to inform the public on why it is necessary to participate in democratic processes,” she said.

Courtesy ; K. N. A