Canon Karanja On a Peace and Reconciliation Mission With GEMA
The National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) General Secretary Reverend Canon Peter Karanja has called for an all inclusive inter-community approach to economic and socio-political issues to foster long lasting peace in the country. Canon Karanja said that Kenya will not achieve real peace if the majority of Kenyans feel excluded from government. He challenged the political class especially those in government to be sensitive to the feelings of their opponents.
“Some insensitivities on the part of some political leaders are causing tensions and suspicions between tribes”, he noted.
Canon Karanja was speaking in Nakuru during a 2-day intra-community dialogue and reconciliation peace forum.
The forum that was the second in a series of such meetings under the ‘Pamoja Initiative’, brought together 34 elders from the GEMA community living in the Rift Valley under the chairmanship of Joseph Njoroge.
Canon Karanja pointed out the need for all ethnic communities to work together so that there is a win-win for all, which will facilitate peace.
During the forum, the elders reviewed explored mitigation methods to various possible risk factors that could imperil peace in the Rift Valley. They agreed that there was need to frequently dialogue with their counterparts from other communities living in the Rift Valley. The meeting endorsed a proposal for the elders to engage anyone who threatens peaceful co existence in the area through inflammatory statements. This they said will guarantee peace among communities.
The Coordinator of GEMA in Rift Valley, J. M. Gichuru who also addressed the forum, thanked the NCCK for supporting peace efforts in the Rift Valley and other areas.
The Pamoja Initiative is a 2-year project facilitated by the Council and her development partners. The project is aimed at creating safe spaces for intra and inter community dialogue on peace as well as build consensus and reconciliation among communities which hitherto were characterized by conflict.
