About 1000 local and international guests have converged at Mount Kenya University in Thika for the ongoing conference on peace and security.
The forum taking place at the Mwai Kibaki Convention Centre in Mount Kenya University comes amid heightened political activities ahead of the 9th August General election.
Agriculture CS Peter Munya said the timing wouldn’t have been better saying, “There is heightened tensions across the country especially after party nominations and announcements of running mates for presidential candidates,” In a speech read on his behalf by Fisheries and Blue Economy PS Dr Francis Owino.
The conference under the theme ‘The Role of Universities, Public and Private Sectors in Peace Building for Socio-economic Development’ seeks to find lasting measures to curd security threats, poverty, youth joblessness, militia groups, proliferation of trade in small arms among other issues.
The CS regretted that over the decades, the role of peace making has been left to policy makers and other stakeholders. “Yet, individuals and institutions have a huge role in promoting peace. The Constitution of Kenya affirms the pride of Kenyans to live in peace and harmony in a sovereign nation. It also addresses long-standing issues of economic and social imbalance.”
He called on all Kenyans, State officers and government departments to work effortlessly to ensure the country remains peaceful during and after the elections.
The forum focuses on academia and peace, role of foreign organisations and NGOs in supporting peace initiatives and the position of the Public and Private Sectors in safeguarding peace.
MKU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Deogratius Jaganyi said the conference comes as a climax to a number of earlier-on conducted pre-conference activities hosted by MKU within the last three months.
Quoting from the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) No. 16, on “Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions”, Prof Jaganyi said the highlights of SDG No. 16 indicates that, “Conflict, insecurity, weak institutions and limited access to justice remain a great threat to Sustainable Development.”
“The 16th SDG champions for a society that is free of violence of all kinds, that protects its people from abuse, and that promotes the rule of law, ensuring equal access to justice, and shared resources. MKU, in line with her three core mandates of teaching, research and community engagement has organized this conference and numerous related activities,” he said.
Dr Vincent Gaitho, the chairman, conference organizing committee and MKU’s Pro-Chancellor said during the first conference held five years ago at the Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi, important resolutions on peaceful coexistence were agreed upon.
“This culminated to the launch of the African Consortium for Peace (AC4P) whose full institutionalization is underway. The hosting of this Second Peace Conference therefore intends to build upon those gains,” he said.
Gaitho said the organisers have provided a three-day platform for a healthy discourse among various stakeholders on peace, security and social enterprise in Kenya, more so in the run up to the 2022 General elections, but also for the whole world at large.
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