Rev. Canon Karanja and the then Kenya’s ambassador to Rwanda Makena Muchiri with the Kenyan Delegation in Rwanda
The National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK)in the next 4 weeks, is set to embark on the second phase of the Community Dialogue for Healing and Reconciliation. The countrywide peace mission dubbed “Pamoja Initiative”, is expected to target at least 8 communities in the country among them the Kalenjin, Kikuyu, Kamba, Luo and Luhya. Others will include the Mijikenda, Kisii and Meru.
The resumption of the dialogue process follows the signing of a 2-year healing and reconciliation Partnership between Danish ambassador to Kenya his Excellency Geert Aagaard and NCCK’s General Secretary Reverend Canon Peter Karanja late last year. Speaking at the NCCK’s Jumuia Place ,Council Senior Programmes Officer for Governance and Social Services Chris Kinyanjui expressed optimism that the mission will achieve its objective of ensuring cohesion and integration that is fundamental in nurturing Kenya’s nascent democracy.
He added that there was need to demonstrate to the political and community leadership that they can safeguard their interests by securing the interests of other communities. “The enlightenment of the leadership will lead to a win-win scenario is the best option and solution for the pervasive intra and inter ethnic competition that characterizes our political life as a nation,” said Kinyanjui.
He stated that a way must be found to transform the pervasive zero-sum, winner take all mentality that is both the cause and the product of political conflict in Kenya especially during elections,”The leaders of all Kenyan communities must come to see collaboration, even with their perceived foes, not as an abstract ideal, but rather as a matter of enlightened self interest.”
Under the arrangement, the Danish Government will provide resources aimed at enabling the Council to reach-out to various communities in areas hitherto considered hotspots for political violence.
The Council’s initiative on peace especially in the Rift-Valley was informed by a report dubbed “Root Causes and Implications of the Post Election Violence of 2007”. The research was undertaken by NCCK in partnership with other faith-based organizations following the 2007 Post-Election violence.
Early last year, the Council sponsored a Kenyan delegation of 100 elders, women and youth leaders from 5 communities to visit Rwanda. The aim of the visit was to enable the delegation draw vital lessons from that Country on peace and reconciliation following the 1994 Rwanda Genocide.
