Marsabit:Peace stakeholders in Marsabit County have emphasized the need for stronger coordination, early intervention, and inclusive community engagement to prevent tensions from escalating into conflict.
According to Kenya News Agency, the call for action was made in a joint statement by the Office of the County Commissioner, the Inter-Religious Council of Kenya (IRCK), the Marsabit County Peace Committee, the Marsabit Interfaith Council, and representatives of women and youth. County Commissioner Stanley Kamande, who read the statement, urged residents to take collective responsibility for maintaining peace and promoting harmonious coexistence across the county.
Kamande emphasized the importance of responsibly sharing information related to emerging tensions, hate messages, incitement on social media, misinformation, and resource-related disputes. He stated that timely sharing of credible information would enable government agencies, peace actors, and community structures to assess threats and respond appropriately before situations escalate.
The stakeholders stressed that sustainable peace requires collaboration from all sections of society, not just one institution or group. The government is committed to working with civil society organizations, religious leaders, political leaders, professionals, businesspeople, elders, youth, women, and community peace structures to coordinate and implement peace initiatives in Marsabit County.
Residents were encouraged to avoid inflammatory actions or messages and to report concerns through appropriate channels. The peace actors highlighted the importance of verifying information to prevent the spread of misinformation, hate messages, and incitement through social media.
The joint statement called for inclusive participation and coordinated community engagement as essential components of peacebuilding efforts. It urged women, youth, elders, religious leaders, political leaders, professionals, businesspeople, and other community stakeholders to actively participate in peace initiatives and efforts to address emerging grievances.
Community leaders and residents were also encouraged to strengthen dialogue and cooperation across different communities to resolve disputes early on. Existing peace structures should be accessible to residents seeking to resolve disagreements, and communities were urged to support government and community efforts to identify and address potential sources of conflict, including resource disputes.
The peace actors reiterated that maintaining peace is a shared responsibility, calling on all residents to work together to protect the county’s social cohesion.
