WEBINAR REPORT
African Human Rights “Peace: An Instrument for Democracy and Sustainable Development”
Date and Time: Saturday, August 27th, 2022, 09:00PM (KST)
Location: Online (Zoom)
Topics: Peace: An Instrument for Peace and Sustainable Development
Host: HWPL Jeonbuk Branch
Speakers:
Hon. Moses Saningo, an MCA of Kajiado of Kenya of Kenya.
Ms. Rukkiya Ahmed, Founder & Programme Coordinator of Youth Bila Noma
Mr. Charles Oduor, Director of operations and programming of Lubao FM
Kenya has experienced election violence several times and the webinar was held to promote understanding of achieving peace and to have a sense of democracy and civic awareness so that people have their own rights and live in a peaceful and free society.
Media manages to control the high tense situation of election in Kenya by conducting a number of TV and Radio talk shows by experts and stakeholders from different departments such as civil society organizations, security department, grassroots eldership, political analysts and human rights activists. Media is the most powerful tool in influencing democracy across the board.
– Mr. Charles Odour –
Introduction Webinar
On August 27th, under the theme of , a webinar was held by an international peace NGO, Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL) and it dealt with various human rights issues caused by election violence. At this webinar, where 15 people of politicians, lawyers, NGOs, and journalists from Kenya gathered, participants particularly focused on the problem left to Kenyan in this era where the president election is still going on and speakers addressed the attitude of each positions to keep for building true democracy and after the presentation, it also had a Q&A time where attendees and speakers talked each other about the speeches freely.
Background Information
Compared to its neighbors, Kenya has been quite a peaceful country, but it has had a considerable amount of conflict that mostly occurs around the election period. The Kenya of today is marked by increased tension between ethnic groups which is also how the leading political parties are formed. Also, after Covid19, the economy of Kenya hasn’t been recovered as normal as before and politicians as well as citizens truly want to seek economic growth.
Thus, through the webinar, we emphasized the importance of peace to build a true democracy as well as sustainable development of Kenya. We shared roles of all walks of life to achieving peaceful election and what has been done for it. It was the time where we can be aware of the thing that all people, regardless of ethics, tribes, religions or status, ought to be one for peaceful Kenya.
Points of discussion
Hon. Moses Saningo, an MCA of Kajiado of Kenya who signed the support letter of DPCW said that“Kenya is peace just immediately after elections which shows as a country we are now mature. The country understands the way politics works. Politics have built a capability that there is life after elections. Politicians need to be taught ethical campaigns that they should have a frame that if one wins or loses no harm is done. Peace during the process helps in constitutional arrangements and in the formation of the Government”
Also, Rukkiya Ahmed, Programme Coordinator of Youth Bila Noma, who has attended HWPL events several times, shared her feeling about peace activities that the organization has done. “Youth plays a critical role in peace building process. We have been calling out to all the youths in Kenya to maintain and advocate for peace now, before, during and after the 9th August election. We have carried out various events for peaceful election and I feel gratitude that there wasn’t great tension after the election though it is still going on. YBN will continue working for peace with HWPL.
In addition, Charles Oduor, who is on behalf of the media said that “As Kenya is in the electioneering season had been marked by outbreak of electoral violence, however, that hasn’t been the case since main stream media (TVs, Radios and Newspapers) have been focusing on positive stories that preserves peace and withstand the human rights of a citizen. Going by how media handled election results and interpreted the tallying process, MCK proposes a dire need for training on data journalism targeting all journalists in Kenya.”
Highlights
Hon. Moses Saningo, an MCA of Kajiado of Kenya of Kenya.: Politicians need to be taught ethical campaigns that they should have a frame that if one wins or loses no harm is done. Peace during the process helps in constitutional arrangements and in the formation of the Government
Ms. Rukkiya Ahmed, Founder & Programme Coordinator of Youth Bila Noma: We have carried out various events for peaceful election and I feel gratitude that there wasn’t great tension after the election though it is still going on. YBN will continue working for peace with HWPL.
Mr. Charles Oduor, Director of operations and programming of Lubao FM: Platforms like Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp are reframing democracy and the way citizens engage and organize in digital space. And the media makes people practice roles in their position for peaceful election and democracy.
Next Steps
Those who attended this webinar decided to continue to support the HWPL’s active support for the enactment of international peace laws. In addition, by attending the 8th Commemoration of the September 18th Peace Summit which will be held in Kenya and online, they will gather the heart of peace as a peace ambassador of HWPL.
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