A baseline Study conducted by Catholic Justice and Peace Commission (CJPC) of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) to identify violence hotspots based on analysis of risk factors and the measures to be put in place to mitigate occurrence or recurrence of violence in the country has revealed that land and control over resources are the key cause of Conflict in counties.
The study which sought to identify the challenges and opportunities that present themselves in addressing violence in the country also revealed that perceived dominance by one group (social, economic, and politic) is potential trigger to conflict while at the same time there is fear that devolution might intensify disunity while youth empowerment continue to be a key factor to peaceful electioneering.
According to the study the situation of young people is even more interesting. 82% of the people interviewed think that young people can influence politics even more than politicians. But youth unemployment is considered by 74.2% as one of the factors of greatest risk with regards to the stability of the Country, also due to the tendency of unscrupulous politicians that manipulate the youth.
It was anticipated that the study would inform the development of a programme for CJPC to intervene in the transition into the devolved system of government. The baseline study reached 582 respondents from seven counties (Kericho, Kisii, Kisumu, Nairobi, Nakuru, Trans Nzoia and Uasin Gishu).
The sample included 531 individuals from youth groups and peace organizations, 32 constituencies, 28 districts, 16 District Commissioners, 18 area chiefs, and 17 diocese staff. Sixty two per cent of the respondents were below 30 years; 58 per cent were male; 88 per cent had secondary education and higher; and 65 percent of the respondents were in some form of employment.
The study was conceptualized to complement the desk review study undertaken in April 2012 by the Constitution and Reform Education Consortium (CRECO) in an bid to understand the history of the culture of violence in Kenya (with emphasis on the 2007 General Election); election-related violence (with emphasis on power politics and inequalities (land issues) and youth unemployment; and efforts to develop and realize sustainable peace.
The study points out that between 1992 and 1996 street children increased by 300%. Now these have become street youth, prone to violence, ready to be recruited by gangs used by unscrupulous politicians.
Finally, the study suggests some ways to ensure that such tragedies are not repeated, such as the post –electoral violence in 2007-2008, which caused 1,300 deaths and 35,000 displaced, how to offer more resources to Counties for economic development and the fight against youth unemployment.
By Pamela Adinda, AMECEA Online News