1. Nyanza Province launch: Tuesday 4th December 2012

The Land Development and Governance Institute's (www.ldgi.org/www.ldgi.co.ke) 'Ardhi na Amani Kenya' initiative kicked off in carnival mood in Nyanza last Tuesday 4th December 2012 at Kisumu's Royal City Hotel.

The official launch was presided over by Ms Lorna Odero, County Commissioner Kisumu on behalf of the Provincial Commissioner, Mr Francis Mutie.

The initiative is aimed at promoting unity and peaceful co-existence of individuals and communities in Kenya to avert any land related violence in the 4^th March 2013 general elections. It has been borne out of the fact that land is central to Kenya’s development and access to and use of it is critical to livelihoods. But while our stock of land mass is finite, our population keeps rising, resulting in competition for land and land based natural resources and possibilities of conflict. This country has experienced land-related violence since the advent of multi-party politics in 1991. There was violence associated with the 1992, 1997, 2002 and the 2007 general elections. Land issues were cited as partly contributory in each case.

The initiative wishes to inform Kenyans that we now have sufficient policy, constitutional and legal instruments to help us address and resolve land-related disputes and historical injustices peacefully and within the law and should we should all therefore refuse to be manipulated and incited into violence by those with vested interests at national and local level.

Those who attended the launch event included among others:-

1. Government officials
2. Local authority officials
3. Religious leaders
4. Peace Committees
5. Community leaders
6. Women leaders
7. Practising professionals
8. Jua Kali entrepreneurs
9. CSOs

LDGI peace road van flagged off

Ms Odero also flagged off LDGI's 'Ardhi na Amani' road van which thereafter went around Kisumu City and distributed public awareness and education material which gives the residents of the City ten reasons why we must all keep and guard peace and resist any manipulation or incitement into violence on account of the land issue come the next general elections and thereafter.

2. Western Kenya Launch : Thursday 6th December 2012

The Western Kenya land, peace and elections forum held under the 'Ardhi na Amani Kenya' initiative was presided over by the Provincial Commissioner, Mr James Ole Serian at the Kakamega Golf Hotel. All County and District Commissioners from the Province also attended. Some District officers and Chiefs also attended. After his remarks, the Provincial Commissioner flagged off the LDGI peace road show van which proceeded to disseminate public education and awareness materials with the ten reasons why we all need to maintain peace to people in the Market, Jua Kali sheds, Masinde Muliro University and to boda boda operators and many others within Kakamega Municipality.

Other leaders who attended were drawn from among others:-

1. Government Ministries
2. Local Authorities
3. Religious Groups
4. Justice and Peace Committees
5. Luhya Council of Elders
6. Youth groups
7. Jua Kali sector
8. Cooperative movement
9. Professionals
10. Masinde Muliro University
11. CSOs

Key Messages

Some of the key messages from the forums included:-

1. The need for all to maintain peace before, during and after the next general elections
2. The resolve to heed and share this call with others
3. The need to protect public land rights
4. The need to protect private property as underscored in the constitution.
5. The need to engage in land use practices that do not undermine agricultural production, the environment and our water sources/bodies.
6. The need to resolve all land disputes amicably and preferably through alternative dispute resolution mechanisms to save on time and costs.
7. The need to recognize and protect the land rights of the disabled
8. The need to recognize and protect women land rights
9. The need to give youth space within the land sector discourse and to respect their inheritance rights. The youth must be kept away from violence through economic empowerment.
10. The need to re-examine cultural practices and seek to obtain an acceptable balance between them and women land rights in view of the existing constitutional and legal requirements

This countrywide initiative will soon be taken to other parts of Kenya. There was demand for specific county and focused-group forums within Nyanza and Western Provinces.

Links to some of the resultant media reports are below:-

1. http://www.the-star.co.ke/news/article-98836/pc-wants-corrupt-officers-out

2.http://www.nation.co.ke/News/politics/Leaders-call-for-peaceful-poll/-/1064/1638348/-/wk1k7z/-/index.html

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