"Ardhi Na Amani Kenya" Launch Forum : Royal City Hotel (next to Agha Khan Walk), Tuesday 4th December 2012

The Land Development and Governance Institute (www.ldgi.org/www.ldgi.co.ke) will launch a robust countrywide land, peace and elections initiative dubbed "Ardhi na Amani Kenya" at the Kisumu Royal City hotel an Tuesday 4th December 2012.

Stakeholders from around the County have been invited to this forum which is expected o begin rallying Kenyans to shun violence before, during and after the March 2013 general elections on account of real or perceived historical land injustices and disputes.

Daily Nation Opinion

Why the MRC should use extant legal provisions to resolve Coast land issues

Land-related violence during general elections

For the last two decades since the advent of multi-party politics in 1991, some parts of Kenya have experienced cyclic tension and/or violence prior, during or just after every general election. The infamous 2007/08 post election violence, which affected many parts of the country, left Kenya’s international image badly dented. Economic growth suffered greatly too, clawing back on the gains made since the end of year 2002 when the NARC government took over from KANU. This is bad for our social-economic stability, global business and integration.

I listened intently to Bishop Joseph Moffat Kilioba of PEFA as he broached a rather sensitive subject in one of the Nairobi churches. He implored us to rise above ethnic contexts in our lives. He urged congregants to embrace their neighbours and members of other communities unreservedly. And he beseeched politicians to “leave us alone to do so in unity and love for one another as brothers and sisters of one nation”. Politicians mustn’t incite ethnic hatred for political gain. The message was spot on.

Houses of worship mark our urban and rural landscape.

We’d ethnic clashes in 1992, 1997 and in 2002. There was tension in 2005. In 2007, serious violence erupted. Look at the dates and figure what’s common. Political contests! Other than in 2005 when we’d a national referendum, all others are general election years! General elections are characterized by political contests. Individual politicians and political parties compete. The referendum in 2005 was preceded by a fall out in the then ruling NARC party allegedly following breaches in the pre-election MOU.