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NEED FOR YOUTH AND WOMEN TO BE INVOLVED IN NATIONAL RECONCILIATION AND UNITY

BY AUSTINE ODUOR
NAIROBI-KENYA
MAY 20- 2008

The role of the youth and women in national reconciliation and unity has been put forward into perspective five months down the line since the bungled elections.

Speaking during a public forum on the future of Kenya titled “Consolidating National Cohesion and Unity” as spelt out by the Kenyan National Dialogue and Reconciliation at Hekima College Auditorium, Joseph Kangethe Rd, off Ngong Rd Jillo A. Kasse, a development Consultant state that five months following the announcement of a disputed election, Kenya has a grand coalition government and The National Accord and Reconciliation Act 2008 has created the space to commence work on rebuilding Kenya.

The speaker also an aspirant in Galole constituency pointed out the items for discussion under Agenda no. 4 Long Term issues and Solutions which are undertaking constitutional, legal and institutional reform, tackling poverty and inequity, as well as combating regional development imbalances, tackling unemployment, particularly among the youth, Consolidating national cohesion and unity, undertaking a land reform and addressing transparency, accountability and impunity.

The violence that rocked the country after the disputed presidential elections and nearly brought our beautiful country into totally anarchy has more than ever shown what the youth can do that is both for the good of the country if facilitated both positively and negatively.

Though the speaker failed to address the land reform policy but it is an issue that should not be swept aside.  The new lands minister Mr. James Orengo agrees that there is a land dimension to the crisis he describes as “perennial”, coming before or after General Elections.

Land and its ownership, Orengo says, is what will destroy Kenya, unless there is a change in the style of its sharing and ownership.

“The appetite for land is not limited to the poor and the landless. Even those who have land have an insatiable thirst for more. It is those who have land who keep looking for more,” Orengo says.

Jillo states that it is the youths who were easily used in this land related violence. However, the youths can be positively harnessed in the process of reconciliation and uniting Kenya through civic education, healing, rebuilding, change agents, resource mobilization and peace makers.

Robert F. Kennedy, “Day of Affirmation address.” University of Cape town, South Africa. June 6th 1966 states

“Our answer is the world’s hope; it has to rely on youth .. It cannot be moved by those who cling to a present which is already dying, who prefer the illusions of security to the excitement of danger. This world demands the qualities of youth; not a time of life, but a state of mind, a temper of the will, a quality of imagination, a predominancy of courage over timidity.”

The youth in Kenya is defined as those persons below 35 years of age. Most of them are in their prime time of their lives and are in the productive age economically and biologically.

They comprise 65% of Kenya’s population of 33million according to the Ministry of youth therefore the youth are very important stakeholders in reconciliation.

He notes that after the post election violence a trail of traumatized women, children and men were left behind. The youth can facilitate in the healing process either as peer educators and counselors in their communities and neighbouring communities too.

They can also play an active role as Change agents and show the new dispensation in Kenya – the Kenya we want. He also pointed out that though the youth do not control many resources, they form a large percentage of Kenyan’s population and they can play a lead role in resource mobilization as peace makers. In the end, reconciliation is a spiritual process, which requires more than just a legal framework. It has to happen in the hearts and minds of people. People have to repent and forgive. The youth, who are honest in their hearts, can lead in the process. They need to be incorporated in the community structures discussing peace.

He sadly noted that the political elite pay lip service to youth participation in governance citing at how central the youth were in all the political parties during the elections compared to what percentage today are in decision making positions?

Though not through making of their own the youth have been sidelined and have not been able to assert themselves. This is because, the youth lack resources, lack the institutional and legal framework, lack skills and training and most leaders view youth as synonymous with political incompetence.

African leaders who formulated NEPAD in 2001 incorporated the MDGs within their plan, including goals which explicitly address youth. NEPAD has identified the challenges facing the youth such as lack of skills and training or access to funds for project implementation, and fully supports the principle of empowered, informed and enabled youths who will be well positioned to tackle challenges that undermine their development.

He proposed that for the youth to become a recognized voice and play their role as stakeholders in national reconciliation and unity is affirmative action through a legal framework where the youth make a certain percentage, availing resources to youth initiatives and organizations. “We need resources to carry out awareness campaigns, peer education and public fora unfortunately the youth don’t control these resources and finally training in politics and parliamentary procedures to become relevant actors in the political arena.”

He notes that the challenge is for the youth to be empowered through positions of leadership so that they can channel their energies to building a Kenya for not only their children, but their children’s children.

Jacqueline Anam – Mogeni, an Advocate and Gender Consultant says women have been marginalised by being oppressed, victimised and excluded from peace building yet they were the most affected during the post election crisis.

“The Beijing Experience of 1995 was phenomenal as the Kenyan Women who attended the conference returned home with a new sense of empowerment and began to clearly articulate the challenges women were facing in Kenya right to the grassroots and tackling discriminatory legislation head on. But the differences soon emerged and it apparently became clear that women are not homogeneous. They have their peculiarities, interests, social classes, cultural roots and ethnic tensions,” she points out.

October 2000 saw the signing of UN Security Council resolution 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security. The Resolution 1325, or simply “1325,” as it is referred to recognizes that civilians – particularly women and children – are the worst affected by conflict, and that this is a threat to peace and security as was witnessed during the January and February internal conflict and so women’s participation in conflict prevention and resolution initiatives cannot be overemphasized

“Conceptually there are tensions on how women and women’s concerns should be included in processes of peace building – our own example of constitution of the Truth Justice and Reconciliation Committee (TJRC) is a good example,” she avers.

She cautioned that many agencies are focusing on preventing or recovering from the unrest though this emphasis on overt direct violence between large groups of people is important it is failing to fully challenge the structural origins of public violence and the private violence (often against women and children) that accompanies public violence and adds that in addition, it falsely assumes that the major actors in these public struggles are men.

Kenyans own efforts to bring about peace since December have looked toward political and civil society leaders (mostly men) and these have been the key people to include in dialogues and efforts to build peace and prevent conflict.

UNIFEM and women’s civil society actors point to the need for examining the web of violence that accompanies public violence. This web often begins with some form of structural violence where some ethnic, religious, class, or other identity groups receive unearned privileges while others are discriminated against and Kenyan women are caught up in this web and so it is important that women are engaged.

She revealed that women need to be engaged because they constitute half of the Kenyan population and the tasks of peace building are so great; women and men must be partners in the process. “Besides, women are the central caretakers of our families in this country and right now everyone (men, women, and children) is suffering because women are oppressed, victimized, and excluded from peace building. So their centrality to communal life makes their inclusion in peace building essential.”

Unknown to many, women have the capacity for both violence and peace, so they must be encouraged to use their gifts in building peace and it would be helpful if special programs could be created to empower women to use their gifts in the tasks of building peace.

She notes that women and men have different experiences of violence and peace, women must be allowed and encouraged to bring their unique insights and gifts to the process of peace building  because sexism, racism, classism, ethnic and religious discrimination originate from the same set of beliefs that some people are inherently “better” than others, women’s empowerment should be seen as inherent to the process of building peace and because violence against women is connected to other forms of violence, women need to be involved in peace building efforts that particularly focus on this form of particular form of violence.

Rita Njau an advocacy officer and programmes coordinator of Jesuit Hakimani Centre stated that there is need to have positive relations in the society for cohesion to be there and provide equal opportunities for all. Kenyans should embrace common vision and values as it is enshrined in the words of the National Anthem. She adds that Kenyans are seriously looking at issues of safety, opportunity for all and people to feel that they belong and it is the youth and women who have mostly been affected and marginalised as the country moves forward in national reconciliation and unity.

The forum had been organised by Jesuit Hakimani Centre and Hekima College. Hakimani is committed to the values of Catholic Social Teachings.The name HAKIMANI combines the Swahili words that embody their mission and vision: HAKI (justice) AMANI (peace) IMANI (faith)

Hekima College is a constituent college of the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) based in Nairobi Kenya.

People for Peace in Africa (PPA)
P O Box 14877
Nairobi
00800, Westlands
Kenya

E-Mail ppa@africaonline.co.ke
Tel 254-20-4441372
    Website : http://www.peopleforpeaceinafrica.org

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Date:  Wed, 4 Jun 2008 13:09:03 +0300
From:  PEOPLE FOR PEACE IN AFRICA ppa@africaonline.co.ke
Subject:  Regional News
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Colleagues Home & Abroad
Regional News

NEW MOVE TO PEACE FOR BURUNDI

BY BISHOP PIE NTUKAMAZINA
BUJUMBURA- BURUNDI
JUNE 3, 2008

“Today, the time has come for us to look ahead and build peace and stability for the sons and daughters of our country, Burundi,”  Agathon Rwasa-the rebel leader- said at a press conference after arriving in Bujumbura yesterday.

In our last News letter, we wrote requesting you (friends and partners) to pray for us in Burundi due to the intensive fighting between the government army and the rebels Group, called “The National Liberation Forces” for “a major attack on the capital, Bujumbura last April.

We are now writing with an uplifting news informing you that The leader of Burundi’s last active rebel group Agathon Rwasa returned from exile yesterday,  Friday, four days after his group signed with the government, raising hopes of an end to a 15-year civil war.

A spokesman for President Pierre Nkurunziza welcomed Rwasa’s return, calling it “a very important date” in the peace process.

When the ceasefire was signed earlier this week, both sides pledged the war was finally over but diplomats warned a lot of ground had yet to be covered.

The government has asked the FNL to disarm and its fighters to regroup in designated areas, so that it will take the responsibility of organising the necessary logistics as a return.

We, as a church, are expressing our thanks and appreciation for your support in prayers and writing to us with those encouraging words to sustain our faith.

Please, continue to pray that concrete peace be established and good integration to this rebel group be better taken care of. “Your labor is not vain in the Lord”

Sincerely yours in God’s love and care,

Bishop Pie Ntukamazina
Anglican Church of Burundi-
Diocese of Bujumbura

People for Peace in Africa (PPA)
P O Box 14877
Nairobi
00800, Westlands
Kenya

E-Mail ppa@africaonline.co.ke
Tel 254-20-4441372
    Website : http://www.peopleforpeaceinafrica.org
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Date:  Tue, 3 Jun 2008 15:12:08 +0300
From:  PEOPLE FOR PEACE IN AFRICA ppa@africaonline.co.ke
Subject:  Regional News