Kutoka network conducted a civic education at Korogocho community hall in Korogocho location with an aim of creating an enabling environment for the purposes of the return presidential election. The civic education brought together participants from Korogocho,Kariobangi,Dandora,Baba Dogo and lucky Summer under the theme: civic education on community dialogue and cohesion. During the deliberation on key constitution aspects and clauses it was interesting that the most asked question was whether there will be an election. Those seeking an answer did argue that the threshold set by the Supreme Court has not been meet, hence going to an election will be unconstitutional. The facilitator pointed several section of the constitution that mandates the independent electoral and boundary commission to conduct the repeat election within sixty days, it is suffice to note that various legal mind has been interpreting the constitution different based on their tribal and political affiliation hence confusing the populace the more.
Korogocho being one of the hot sports as identified by the ministry of interior and national coordination the arranging of this civic education was timely and it was evident from members’ contributions that there was a split in terms of party loyalties and indeed a training on cohesion and mutual coexistence is very much in need especially to the leaders . One of the participant did confess that during his days when he still a young boy he came across tension and ethnic profiling but as a freedom fighter then, his conscious could not allow him to engage in such activities but rather the bigger picture of liberating the country from colonizers and as he rightly puts it – Wabeberu a Kiswahili ward meaning oppressors. The now old mzee challenged the participants especially the young people to be at the forefront of preaching about peace as the future belongs to them. The old Mzee encouraged the gathering to coexist with each through mutual respect and harmony. He told the gathering that he is a landlord whose building has attracted tenants from almost all the major tribes in Kenya and he has been at the forefront in creating harmony among them. He ended by advising young people not be misled by politicians for the purposes of getting their votes. The sentiments of mzee were echoed by the area chief who pointed out that other than performing his administrative duties one of his other duties is engage various villages’ elders drawn from the nine villages of Korogocho in peace building and harmonious working together of members of Korogocho community. The Area chief thanked Kutoka Network for their active roles in creating civic consciousness to the members of Korogocho community and promised them that his office will always be open for such noble initiatives from the community
