On 1^st April 2022, Mkenya Daima Initiative represented by the Chair Dr. Vimal Shah participated in the 3^rd National Students Convention on Youth, Peace, and Election at Kenyatta International Convention Center (KICC). Convened by the Universities and Colleges Students’ Peace Association of Kenya (UCSPAK), the event brought together over 1,200 youth and doubled up as the official launch of a nationwide Campus Voter Education exercise in institutions of higher learning.

UCSPAK, a non-profit and non-political student association has signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to lead in the implementation of all voter education activities in the institutions of higher learning (Universities, Colleges & TVETS) in Kenya.

Also present at the event was the Chief Guest Joe Mucheru, EGH, MBS – Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of ICT, Innovation and Youth Affairs accompanied by Maureen Mbaka, CBS – Chief Administrative Secretary at Ministry of ICT, Innovation and Youth Affairs, Republic of Kenya, Nana Gecaga – CEO KICC, James Sogoti – General Manager Commercial, Nation Media Group, Lucy Githaiga – Country Director, Diakonia Kenya and Mildred Nzau – Inclusion Specialist, International Foundation for Electoral System-Kenya. Others were Prof. Chacha Nyaigotti Chacha, OGW, HSC – Chairperson, UCSPAK Advisory Board and Ann Nderitu – Registrar of Political Parties, Amb. Simon Nabukwesi CBS – Principal Secretary, State Department for University Education and Research, Prof. Geoffrey M. Muluvi – Chairperson, Kenya Public Universities Vice-Chancellors Committee.

The Chief Guest, Mr. Joe Mucheru encouraged the university students to play their part in creating a safe space for good leadership, peace, innovation, and knowledge sharing for Kenya to be competitive globally. “As a country, we have created the reality that people can come and invest their money in Kenya even in an electioneering period. My plea is for us to make Kenya a better place where we all love to belong, a safe place for young people to be leaders. If we are the youth and we love this country, then we must protect it,” Said Mucheru adding that since January 2022, 200 billion dollars in investments have already flowed into the country.

The speakers challenged the young people to start claiming their space as leaders today and not just leaders of the future. The gathering of more than fifty public and private universities, colleges and technical training institutions observed that although a peace dividend is important, it also must go hand in hand with justice and equitable public service, all of which can be determined by the choice of leaders elected on 9th August 2022.

Dr. Vimal Shah, Chair of the Mkenya Daima Initiative urged the students to come together as ‘Comrades’, united beyond their tribes, religion and different backgrounds and advocate for peace beyond the elections and to take the Mkenya Daima campaign across the 47 counties. “Mkenya Daima prides itself in progressing equality, citizenship awareness, inclusivity, and collective responsibility in Kenya. Our 2022 campaign is about bringing together all the people including students from all institutions to be champions of peace by taking their responsibility through the Nitatenda Wajibu Wangu slogan,” He said.

Ms. Nana Gecaga, CEO of Kenyatta International Convention Centre, (KICC), also a youth mentor reaffirmed KICC’s commitment to supporting the UCSPAK in hosting its peace meetings and events at no cost. “Just like in a jigsaw puzzle, all citizens have a role to play in the prosperity of a country. You have therefore been called to be the voice for somebody who may not be able to speak for themselves or to clear away for a people who will come after you, above all is the call for all of us to contribute to shaping Kenya and her future,” She said.

Mr. Moses Mathenge (DJ MOZ), Director Kubamba Group said young people are a heritage unto God and the greatest wealth of a nation above its natural and fiscal resources. “Without the right people, sitting in the right offices, these natural resources and wealth of our nation will be of no benefit to us Kenyans. As youth we can either be the generation of infinite possibilities and solutions or become the generation of imminent danger because where there is frustration and injustice in the world, it is hard to have peace,” He said.

Ms. Mildred Nzau, Inclusion Specialist, International Foundation for Electoral System-Kenya challenged the youth to turn out and engage positively with electioneering with the desire to bring change and move Kenya forward while holding leaders to account. ” In any election, there will always be winners and losers and as young people, we must ask politicians tough questions on their responsibility once they are elected because just like supply and demand in business, politicians will never respond to responsible and good leadership if there is no demand for accountability,” She said.

Mr. James Sogoti, General Manager-Commercial at the Nation Media Group reminded the audience of the need to build a positive legacy for future generations who will expect that those who came before them did their best to grow and build the nation and which includes political engagements and institutions. “Kenya is positioned to seize the moment and build towards promoting peace and be an example to the rest of the African Continent. Just like of we enjoy the fruits of independence won for us by our founding fathers, youth should strive to build on their legacy today,” He said.

Ms. Lucy Githaiga, Country Director, Diakonia Kenya urged the youth to pursue their individual and collective growth via an entrepreneurial mindset while encouraging women to seek out active roles in competitive politics.” Through the Jisort Youth Empowerment Program, Diakonia seeks to nurture entrepreneurial mindsets in our universities by building up a culture of savings and investments for young entrepreneurs right in the Universities, and who will then go on to create more opportunities and jobs for Kenyans in the future”, said Githaiga.

Allan Chacha, Executive Director, and Founder UCSPACK, highlighted the origins of the movement that started in 2015 after the terror attack on Garissa University, during his second-year studies in law at Mount Kenya University with the aim to temper the growth of radicalism in the Universities. “UCSPAK was the first and the only student-led organization to initiate an MOU with the IEBC to mobilize voter registration in learning institutions in the country. Through USCPAK which has a representation of over 75 Universities colleges and other tertiary institutions we have demonstrated that young people can come up with their own interventions in resolving some of these socio-economic challenges we face as a country,” He said.

Echoing the same sentiments Prof. Chacha Nyaigotti, Chairperson, Commission for University Education (CUE), also Chairperson of the UCSPAK Advisory Board said the National Students Convention on youth peace and election was a culmination of many other meetings with youth and stakeholders, all done with the intention to ensure that this year’s elections would be devoid of chaos and abuse and misuse of youth by politicians.

“Voting is our right, but we cannot vote with the fear of violence looming over our heads. We need to have students who affirm the leadership characteristics we desire as a nation. Developed democracies across the world vary in their electoral processes, systems, and procedures. This is the year to demonstrate to all Kenyans and those around the world that we are citizens of a great country called Kenya.” He said.

Ann Nderitu the Registrar of Political Parties said the youth are critical players in the electoral process and whose participation in the political process within the rural and urban setting must be adequately addressed and safeguarded.

“The problems that bedevil the youth are anchored on social-economic issues. Freedom of individual thinking and a strong mindset are great assets that the youth should treasure, but the harmonization of voices should be embraced in the participation of the youth in the political and electoral processes,” said Nderitu, adding older people should encourage the youth agenda in participation in the political processes.

Prof. Geoffrey M. Muluvi – Chairperson, Kenya Public Universities Vice-Chancellors Committee lauded the initiatives of students in promoting peaceful co-existence in the Universities beyond this electioneering period. “We should work together to ensure peace is not compromised in the Universities. Students should not agree to be misused by anybody to cause chaos but should spread the message of peace even in the villages. Continued partnership with universities is ideal in ensuring and promoting peaceful co-existence among the youth and students in the universities”, he said.

Amb. Simon Nabukwesi CBS, Principal Secretary, State Department for University Education and Research said the youth have the knowledge, skills, and energy to bring positive change in Kenya including in the political sphere. “The national character of the youth and young people below 18 years in Kenya should be addressed. The spirit of patriotism needs to be embraced and an introspective conversation about Kenya that combines all collective forces is ideal for the progress of the Nation,” said Nabukwesi adding that every generation has its calling, with the current generation having the weighty responsibility of shaping the global impression of our country Kenya. IEBC, he said should rank counties in the country that are most peaceful to be celebrated as the ideal examples of the Kenyan spirit of peace.

IEBC Commissioner Justus Nyang’aya, while reaffirming IEBC’s commitment to ensuring, free, fair and credible elections urged the youth not to take for granted the peace that we enjoy as Kenyans, but to be proud instead. “Democracy is important because it allows citizens to live in dignity and dignified free speech and democracy in this country should be embraced because we know that it takes much longer to build peace, but it takes a shorter time to destroy it,” he said, adding that the IEBC shall recruit 530,000 youth to help in managing the elections and vote counting.

The event culminated with the official launch of a nationwide Campus Voter Education exercise in institutions of higher learning.