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Promoting peace during the Kenya referendum

On 4 August Kenyans voted overwhelmingly in favour of a new constitution. The peaceful referendum was in sharp contrast to the post election violence witnessed in December 2007, which claimed over 1,000 lives. There had been fears that the constitutional referendum, which covered sensitive issues such as land reforms, religious law and abortion, could be a potential flashpoint for conflict and outbreaks of violence.

In the weeks leading up to the referendum Saferworld worked with security providers and community peacebuilding groups in Isiolo in Eastern Province and in Embakasi, Starehe, Njiru, Kasarani and Makadara districts in Nairobi as part of a campaign to encourage Kenyans to vote peacefully. This work was part of an initiative dubbed Uwiano (coexistence) led by the National Steering Committee on Peace Building and Conflict Management, the National Cohesion and Integration Commission and Peacenet.

Saferworld supported local partners to organise ‘peace caravans’ which brought together people from different ethnic groups and the security forces to reach out to their local communities and encourage peaceful participation in the constitutional referendum.

In Isiolo Saferworld also supported a peace and security forum bringing together senior security officers and local communities.

These and other peace activities carried out countrywide contributed to a peaceful referendum. Nearly 8 million out of 12 million registered voters participated in the national referendum, with 67 percent voting in favour for the new constitution. The next stage will be an intensive legislative process to implement the reforms approved by the referendum.

See pictures from the Isiolo ‘Peace Caravan’ on our Facebook page