NCIC engages Kisumu youth on post election peace

By Peter Ochieng

The National Cohesion and Intergration Commission (NCIC) is engaging Kisumu youth on post election peace, weeks after the opposition called off protests to pave way for talks.

The talks are being spearheaded by a bipartisan committee, bringing together legislatures from Kenya Kwanza and Azimio La Umoja One Kenya political formations.

NCIC is engaging Kisumu on a three day workshop which ends on Saturday, with a view of among others, interrogating possible triggers to violance in the Lakeside County.

Kilian Nyambu, NCIC's Head of Public Outreach and Engagement in his address to the press said they are at their third phase of the 2022 election campaign, dubbed 'Election Bila Noma' which entailed pre-election, peace during elections and peace on the ground after the polls.

In meeting the Kisumu youth, Nyambu said they seek to check out for various effective strategies to employ in maintaining peace and strength partneships with various peace actors.

"There can never be development without peace," said the NCIC official.

Nyambu added that mismanagement of diversity and unemployment especially among the youth, are some of the triggers to violance.

"It is cheaper to control conflict than prevent effects of violence," he insisted. On her part, Roseline Onunga from Local Capacities for Peace Initiative (LCPI) said peace building does not end with elections.

"Peace building activities must be nurtured. Peace does not end with elections."

"Peace building is not a stand alone. Peace belongs to all of us. It is peace in, peace out," added Evans Otieno from Pamoja for Transformation.

Kisumu has all along been known to be a post-election violence hotspot.

However, the narrative is starting to change courtesy of sensitization forums being carried out by NCIC and other stakeholders.