Kwale County Governor Fatuma Achani has called on the youth in the region to shun violence and embrace peace and unity for sustainable development.
Governor Achani noted that only a peaceful atmosphere could guarantee meaningful development and socio-economic prosperity for all.
“Peace, unity and harmonious coexistence remain an indispensable catalyst to meaningful development,” she said, adding that lack of peace retards socio-economic advancement.
She cautioned the youth to desist from destroying public and private property amid countrywide protests as the national government seeks to lower the high cost of living.
“The youth should not allow selfish politicians to use them to foment trouble and perpetrate violence in the name of grievances,” she said and appealed to the leading lights in the opposition to desist from engaging in acts that could plunge the country into anarchy.
Achani said her administration would strive to involve the youth in the county who formed the greater part of the population in the search for enduring peace.
“The youth play a very important role in the progress of any society and they should not allow themselves to be brainwashed into carrying arms to perpetrate violence against their country,” she said.
Achani said this when she hosted in her office members of Smart Move Community Organization based in Diani, Msambweni sub-county.
The Smart Move Community organization runs programmes to create cohesion in the society after the August 2022 General Elections.
The organization also runs programmes to counter violent extremism among youths in the coastal county.
Achani pledged to support the youth based organization in the promotion of cohesion in the county so as to guarantee peace and stability in Kwale.
“Creating a peaceful, just and inclusive society is key to our socio-economic development,” she said.
The county boss at the same time called on the youth in the region to reject radicalization and violent extremism.
Achani has asked the youth to always uphold peace and security and reject religious extremism in all its forms and embrace peace and unity.
She urged the youth to reject extremism and twisted ideologies pushed by fundamentalists and instead seek to gain proper knowledge and guidance from reputable religious institutions.
She said the youth should not allow themselves to be brainwashed by extremist groups with their own hidden agenda propagating radical ideas.
On his part, the Executive Director Smart Move Community Organisation Jamal Abadallah said they would combat extremist beliefs and prevent them from taking root in the minds of the youth.
“We are telling the youth as future leaders to respect, tolerate and understand the dynamics behind others’ beliefs and worldviews,” he said, adding that they are committed to combating the spread of extremism.
Abdallah said they were going around the county and warning the youth on the dangers of religious extremism and spreading the message of non-violence.
The Governor later met Msambweni sub county security chiefs led by Deputy County Commissioner (DCC) Lotiatia Kipkech and assured him of maximum support from her administration as ‘we endeavour to serve the people at the grassroots’.
“We are going to foster a strong working relationship between the county government and the national government administration officers,” she said.
By Hussein Abdullahi
