By Nyanza Daily Reporter
Nairobi | February 5, 2026
The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) has brought together peace and security stakeholders from across the country to strengthen Kenya’s peacebuilding framework as preparations for the 2027 General Elections gather pace.
The stakeholders’ engagement forum, held on 5 February 2026 at Ngong Hills Hotel in Nairobi, focused on the development of a Training Manual on Peace, Conflict, Hate Speech, and Violent Extremism. The initiative seeks to equip peace practitioners with practical tools to prevent conflict and promote social cohesion at community, county, and national levels.
Opening the forum, Mr. Kilian Nyambu, Director of Public Outreach and Engagement at NCIC, emphasized that peacebuilding is a shared national responsibility that cannot be left to one institution alone. He noted that despite NCIC’s mandate to serve all Kenyans, the Commission operates with limited staff and resources, making partnerships with civil society, faith leaders, county governments, and development partners essential.
“We cannot walk this journey alone. If we want to go far and build sustainable peace, we must walk together,” Mr. Nyambu said, adding that peace actors often work in silos due to the absence of a common reference framework.
He explained that the proposed training manual will serve as a shared reference point, enabling peace and security actors to identify and respond consistently to issues such as hate speech, incitement, political intolerance, and emerging conflict drivers.
Civil Society and County Perspectives
Civil society organizations called for peacebuilding tools that reflect community realities. Ms. Anastacia Some of ACT Kenya stressed the importance of a user-friendly and accessible manual that can be applied by grassroots peace committees, elders, women, and youth, particularly in counties prone to political and resource-based tensions.
She noted that regions such as Nyanza, like many parts of the country, experience heightened political activity during election periods, making early warning, mediation, and community engagement especially critical.
From the county government perspective, Mr. Samuel Muchiri, Sub-County Administrator with the Kajiado County Government, shared lessons from managing unrest and emphasized the importance of continuous engagement through barazas, peace committees, transport operators, business communities, and local media to counter misinformation and prevent escalation.
Role of Faith and Knowledge Institutions
Faith-based institutions were also highlighted as key peace actors. Bishop Dr. Henry Omar of the Restoration of Life Centre and the Kajiado County Peace Committee said religious leaders play a vital role in reconciliation and community trust-building and must be equipped with accurate guidance to promote peaceful coexistence.
Ms. Loise Muteti of the Kenya Literature Bureau (KLB) emphasized the importance of producing a well-structured, practical publication. She noted that the manual should prioritize prevention rather than reaction and be written in simple language to ensure usability by practitioners at all levels.
GPF Urges Shift to Preventive Peacebuilding
Speaking on behalf of the Global Peace Foundation (GPF), Mr. Daniel Juma Omondi, the Foundation’s Africa Regional Representative, described the training manual as timely and necessary as the country moves closer to the 2027 elections.
“As we approach a period of heightened political competition, peacebuilding must move beyond reaction to prevention,” Mr. Juma said. “Peace actors need practical, context-specific tools that support early warning, conflict prevention, and responsible engagement before tensions escalate.”
He added that sustainable peace is rooted in values and begins at the family and community level, calling for stronger collaboration among institutions to reinforce social cohesion.
Key Focus Areas Identified
Participants identified priority areas to be covered in the training manual, including promotion of diversity and national values, inter-community conflict mitigation, combating hate speech and incitement, preventing radicalization and violent extremism, and managing online misinformation.
The manual is expected to be non-academic, practical, and adaptable to diverse contexts, including rural and urban settings.
Looking Ahead
The outcomes of the engagement will inform the content and structure of the training manual, which is expected to support peace practitioners across Kenya, including in politically active regions such as Nyanza, Rift Valley, and Coast.
NCIC reaffirmed its commitment to continued collaboration with stakeholders to strengthen Kenya’s peace and cohesion architecture and promote peaceful coexistence ahead of the 2027 elections.
