Stakeholders championing peaceful coexistence have pleaded with youths from Kisumu County to shun violence and promote peace to enhance economic development in the region.
The call was made during the annual peace and leadership summit organized by Pamoja For Transformation Group in partnership with other stakeholders from the private and public sectors held in the lakeside County.
The two-day summit held under the auspices of this year’s theme ‘Sustainable Peace, Leadership and Development’ sets an opportunity for citizens to be able to reflect on the state of peace in the county.
The forum also gives participants the opportunity to discuss new paths that will define Kisumu County better in matters of peace.
Pamoja for transformation Executive Director Kadenyo Steven says that Kisumu County has been labelled as a hotspot for violence and intolerance for the longest time, especially during pre and post-election periods.
This has not only made Kisumu unfavourable for business ventures and investments but has also led to a reduced flow of tourists due to its soiled name.
He called for the lakeside residents to let go of their past pains and work together to achieve a peaceful city in which people can live, visit and invest.
“The journey for achieving peace and development is not an individual’s journey that’s why we have partnered with peace champions, the county and national government together with the citizens of Kisumu to chat ways of maintaining peace in the county,” said Kadenyo.
Youths are a vulnerable group in matters of peace as they are used to cause commotion and disrupt peace due to drug and substance abuse, mental illness and idleness.
However, women are the most vulnerable in our society when peace is threatened, they become victims of physical abuse such as rape hence resulting in unwanted pregnancies and diseases.
With this realization, the county government together with the national government is working together to engage the youth in various sectors of the county.
According to the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Director Kisumu County Pascaliah Ouma, youth should be encouraged to join institutions and acquire skills that will empower them economically and sustain them in the long run.
“In partnership with Pamoja for Transformation, many youths are being supported in vocational training centres across the county to acquire knowledge and also assist them in paying for certification and examination fees since most of them can’t afford them,” said Pascaliah.
Sustaining peace in the county requires partnership and mentorship at the community level to engage the public in reconciliation and peaceful coexistence in order to decentralize both short- and long-term effects caused by the lack of peace.
The county government has also put-up grants in order to empower the youths by encouraging them to open up businesses and sustainable ventures in order to avoid engaging in peace threatening activities like crime.
According to Nereah Okombo, the deputy speaker of Kisumu County Assembly, laws are being passed to ensure the youth find a source of income or training to engage in to curb idleness which may prompt them to commit crimes and engage in other dangerous activities that threaten the peace of the county.
“We are working towards increasing revenue without putting pressure on the taxpayers by making funds available for the youth in terms of loans to help them start up their business or add stock in order to sustain themselves,” added Okombo.
Kisumu county peace champions are encouraged to continue mentorship, especially in the town area during this apex of structural re-adjustment happening to make peace a priority in the county.
