As Kenyans eagerly await the results after casting their votes during the Tuesday’s general elections, an organization has rolled out a series of events for Nairobi youths to ensure they were not engaged in post-election related violence.
The Programme for Christian- Muslim Relations in Africa (PROCMURA) has initiated youth oriented activities including soccer tournaments, talent shows and concerts to keep the preoccupied with peace building initiatives as tension builds over delay in the release of the poll results.
PROCMURA chief programme Officer Joy Wandabwa said the organizations had intensified the peace campaigns in notable hotspots in Nairobi where youth have in recent polls fallen prey to whims of politicians who hired them cause chaos at a cheap price.
She said the religious group have over the last two weeks recruitedmore than 300 peace ambassadors in the sprawling slums of Mathare, Kibera and Kawangare to sensitize the communities on the need to coexist harmoniously before, during and after the elections.
PROCMURA chief programme Officer Joy Wandabwa said the faith based initiative had engaged youths in targeted hotspots in a series of sporting events and talent concerts too propagate the peace agenda to ensure they were not influenced to cause violence during the electioneering period.
She said the peace campaign christened “ Chai Na Amani” was tailored to bring youths irrespective of their political affiliations to a common table to share a cup of tea before collectively taking part in football tournaments and talent shows that advocated for peace.
PROCMURA officer Salli Effungani said the youth were recruited as peace ambassadors to spread the message in targeted hotspots in Nairobi including Mathare, Kwangware and Kibera which have traditionally experienced a wave of violence during election cycles.
Kawangware 56 youth leader Francis Ambani said at least 50 artists and several football clubs had enlisted for the peace campaign whose impact was felt as most of the idle and employed youth were opted to keep away from political events where they were more vulnerable to exploitation.
By Victor Obure