Appeal for Peace during and after Elections

Since the untimely demise of the MPs from Marsabit and Moyale, we the members of the civil society organisations together with local communities in the region have mounted a comprehensive peace campaign using the slogan:  “Tumeamua Amani” to register our corporate and singular commitment to finding peaceful coexistence among the warring communities in the two districts.

In the exercise of their democratic right to elect legislators on July 24, 2006, we urge the electorate in Saku, North Horr, Laisamis and Moyale constituencies to elect leaders with honesty and demonstrated unequivocal commitment to peaceful co-existence and development of all people in the region. We appeal to the candidates to stand for peace and to very clearly demonstrate that to their supporters.

We petition the government to stand firm in all the corners of the region and deal decisively with those threatening to disrupt the peace. Do so without favour since a good government is responsible for the protection of all life and no matter what else you do, if you fail in this responsibility, you have let down the people of Kenya.

We caution against the use of state machinery to unfairly influence the forthcoming elections as the results will leave the districts without effective leadership: a major requisite for peace and sustainable development.

We pray with all Kenyans that we shall have peaceful elections and the victors will immediately start to build trust and confidence among all the ethnic groups living in his or her constituency. We call upon the victors to be humble, magnanimous and respect the losers and work with them. We ask the losers to also admit that there will always be winners and losers but the worst loss is the loss of innocent peoples life which must be avoided at all costs. A good leader is a peacemaker no matter the results of an election.

"If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other." - Mother Teresa