The Peer Counselors Association has encouraged chiefs in Gucha, Kisii County to undertake mediation-training classes that the association plans to conduct next month to improve their dispute settlement skills.
Addressing the grassroots administrators at Kisii, Deputy County Commissioner’s boardroom in Ogembo town Friday, Peer Counselors Association regional coordinator Jared Onchiri told the chiefs that being accredited as professional mediators would allow them execute their duties professionally and effectively.
“You can use the knowledge you will gain from the training throughout your lifetime to solve small societal misunderstandings in your areas that do not require court process. In the process you get paid. I therefore want you to see it as a retirement investment,” added Onchiri.
He said a student who fully completes the training which takes 40 hours as per the Judiciary Mediation Accreditation Committee (MAC) is given a professional mediator certificate and can start doing private mediation in labour, commercial, land, family and other fields as a registered mediator.
Onchiri said there are only 600 registered mediators in the country so far and therefore there was a need to train more mediators to fill the gap.
Peer Counselors Association trainer Moreen Ongoro told the participants to work on their individual brands adding participating in such training was part of self-value addition.
On her part, Gucha sub county Assistant County Commissioner Grace Naserian asked the chiefs to fully utilize such opportunities as they would make them more productive.
Fifteen chiefs attended the sensitization forum.
By Misheba Alfred
