Clergywomen take lead in conflict prevention

Police throw teargas canisters to a group of rowdy youths who stoned DP William Ruto's motorcade  in Kisumu County on November 10, 2021. Women church leaders  have pledged to lead in preventing conflicts as the country inches closer to next year’s general election.

Photo credit: Tonny Omondi | Nation Media Group

What you need to know:

  • Women church leaders from North Rift, South Rift and Western regions have pledged to lead in preventing and ending conflicts as the country inches closer to next year’s general election.
  • They say it is upon mothers to help the youth identify and sustain income generating initiatives so that they gain financial independence.

Women church leaders from North Rift, South Rift and Western regions have pledged to lead in preventing and ending conflicts as the country inches closer to next year’s general election.

In a statement signed by Canon Jane Leleina representing South Rift, Pastor Salina Wekesa (North Rift) and Reverend Jane Sibelenje (Western), the clergywomen said in the event of chaos, they would end the fights through holding fellowships with the perpetrators to help them see the light.

“We have committed to stand between conflicting groups and plead for peace,” the National Council of Churches of Kenya regional women representatives said in the November 13, statement.

But ensuring the youth are economically independent would be a solution to keeping them off politically instigated conflicts, they said.

“Our children are vulnerable to manipulation by politicians and other actors who bribe them with some few coins to engage in violence,” they observed.

“It is upon…the mothers to help the youth identify and sustain income generating initiatives so that they gain financial independence.” 

Peaceful coexistence

They committed to intensify efforts aimed at promoting peaceful coexistence and cohesion in the country.

Their declaration marks an important step in advancing the provisions of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, which requires involvement of women in peace building, conflict prevention and reconciliation processes.

Inclusion of women in peace and security processes is a commitment Kenya has made being a signatory of the resolution.

The Sessional Paper No. 5 of 2014 on National Peace building and Conflict Management provides for a 30 per cent gender rule in composition of the County Peace Committees.

Security process

Last year, Kenya launched Second Kenya National Action Plan (2020-2024) which shows countrywide women constituted 29 per cent of 4,505 committee members, as at 2019.

During the launch Cabinet Secretary Prof Margaret Kobia made an anecdotal reference to the significance of women’s inclusion in the peace and security process.

 “It is not men versus women. It is more of complementarity. The world is made of two portions…everything is in pairs. That is why we have two eyes and legs. The same with us having men and women (in peace and security processes),” she said at the time.

Last September, women peace ambassadors re-launched Tuvuke Initiative, which places women at the core of peace processes in their communities ahead of the elections.

Recently, youths in Kisumu were hostile to Presidential aspirant Deputy President William Ruto and stoned his convoy. It was the same case in Migori for businessman Jimi Wanjigi.