National Council of Churches of Kenya

NCCK Preaches Peace in the Rift Valley ---- Daily Nation January 10, 2012

By TIMOTHY KEMEI

Peace observers in the Rift Valley province have raised a red flag over the worsening security situation in Rongai district.

This comes on a  backdrop of a series of events that have occurred in the area, including a botched resettlement of victims of the 2007/2008 Post election violence and wrangles over land ownership

The issue was raised yesterday during a peace meeting organized in Nakuru by the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK), where participants expressed concern over the government’s apparent slow response to the crisis that is building up within the district. Twenty seven Community based organizations involved in peace building took part in the meeting.

The head of the Rift Valley Provincial Peace Forum (PPF) Mr Samuel Musumba also warned that the acrimony among the communities could be worsened by politicians who may seek to draw on the question of resettlement during their campaigns. He urged politician to steer away from topics that could worsen the situation.

“The election season is here already and some political big shots in the county have hijacked the whole process as their campaign flagship. This could cause greater divisions among the local residents,   “ he said.

He added that if violence were to occur in the area as a result of the present situation, it could spill over to the volatile districts like Molo, Kuresoi and Njoro. Other identified hotspots include Kipkelion, Londiani, and Uasin Gishu districts among others

NCCK regional coordinator for South Rift Joseph Ngetich shared the same view. He faulted the government for failing to act even when warning signs of impending calamities are evident. He added that Nakuru county, being one of the most cosmopolitan areas in the country has a history of being a hot spot zone during elections and security measures must therefore be reinforced during such moments.

“Over time, successive Kenyan governments have had a below average response to impending crises despite receiving early warning reports from observers. The early warnings we give are only important  when the government puts in place a corresponding response action,” he said.

Mr Ngetich also expressed concern that a impending  decision by the International Criminal Court over cases involving six Kenyans could negatively affect the peace situation in the country. Two of the suspects, Eldoret north MP William Ruto and KANU Chairman Uhuru Kenyatta are presidential hopefuls.

He appealed to Kenyans to uphold peace and calm throughout the process despite the outcome.

“ The ICC process is no longer just a judicial process. It has been taken over by politicians. Over time, animosity and mistrust have built up among affected communities who feel betrayed. The suspects also have a big following who may not be pleased by the outcome of the process and cause chaos,” he added.

According to Mr Ng’etich, the meeting had been organized with an aim of building synergy between the interested networks and sharing information that would be necessary towards avoiding any occurrence of violence similar to that which erupted in 2007/08 soon after the results of the Presidential elections were announced.

However, Mr Martin Brown, the Coordinator of the Peace and development Forum, who was also at the function said there were less chances of a recurrence of violence similar to the one that took place soon after election five years ago.