County governments have been urged to establish fully fledged peace building and conflict management departments to help prevent violence, resolve local disputes and strengthen early warning systems in communities.
Happy Alphonse from the Mathare Peace Initiative organization says counties need dedicated departments with their own budgets and designated officers to be able to coordinate peace building efforts instead of treating them as responsibilities that can be handled by other departments.
Speaking to County Pulse News, Alphonse said peace building should be recognized as a long-term development priority rather than just an emergency response activated only when violence breaks out.
“Kama kuna liquor board kwa county, why can’t we have a full department of peace building and national cohesion? Kama tuko na department ya gender, kwa nini tusikue na department ya peace?” Alphonse asked.
He argued that dedicated departments would enable county governments to identify tensions early, respond to emerging conflicts and work with communities to prevent disputes from escalating into violence.
Alphonse expressed concern over what he described as the slow progress by county governments, particularly Nairobi, in establishing such departments despite the capital’s large informal settlements and history of political and other community related violence.
He said Nairobi needs a structured approach to peace building, given the range of challenges affecting its communities, including political tensions, misinformation and disputes that mostly do threaten peaceful coexistence.
“I think there is a laxity somewhere In counties, especially in Nairobi….this is something we need to push and make sure Nairobi has a full department of peace building and conflict management,” He added.
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Nairobi urged to formalize peace building efforts
Alphonse questioned why Nairobi County had yet to establish a dedicated peace building and conflict management department, saying community organisations seeking support for peace initiatives were often referred to other departments.
He said that despite Kenya marking the International Day of Peace over the past 12 years, peace organisations continued to face difficulties when seeking institutional support from the county government.
According to Alphonse, organisations approaching Nairobi County on peace related matters have been told that there is no specific department responsible for the work.
He called on Governor Johnson Sakaja to support the establishment of a fully-fledged department that is complete with a designated chief officer and budgetary allocation to ensure it can carry out its mandate.
He further said a department without adequate funding and clear leadership would struggle to coordinate prevention programmes, support community peace initiatives and respond to emerging threats.
He also called on the Council of Governors (CoG) to take up the proposal and encourage counties to establish similar structures suited to their local circumstances.
“Unajua Nairobi is the capital city with major informal settlements, ukiangalia issues zinahappen for example in mathare, kibra, korogocho in terms of ukosefu Wa amani ni za kushangaza lakini hatua hazichukuliwi za haraka, that is why we need. This peace department like yesterday,”
Mathare peace initiative seeks support from MCAs
The Mathare Peace Initiative has already developed a concept proposing the establishment of a dedicated peace building department, but Alphonse said the organisation was uncertain which Nairobi County Assembly member to approach to introduce the proposal for debate.
He expressed concern that peace building did not receive sufficient attention among some elected leaders, despite its importance in protecting communities and promoting development.
Alphonse said county assemblies could help advance the initiative by debating the proposal, examining existing gaps in conflict management and pushing county executives to establish clear structures for peace building.
“Magavana ambao tumewachagua washawai ona umuhimu wa kuwa na this department in Nairobi au hawaoni kama ina umuhimu?”
He urged MCAs to treat peace as a governance priority rather than just an issue to be addressed only after violence has occurred.
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Wajir and Mandera offer lessons
Alphonse cited Wajir and Mandera counties as examples of devolved governments that have established peace and disaster management departments.
He called on other counties to examine such approaches and consider how dedicated structures could strengthen local conflict prevention and response.
He said counties should invest in early warning and early response systems that allow authorities to identify signs of tension and intervene before conflicts escalate.
Ward administrators, he added, could play a central role because of their proximity to residents and their understanding of local disputes.
Working with community based organisations and other local actors would help county governments gather information, identify emerging threats and coordinate timely interventions he intimated.
Misinformation and politics among sources of tension
Alphonse identified misinformation as one of the factors that can fuel tension and violence in communities, warning that false or misleading information can deepen divisions and undermine peaceful coexistence.
He also linked some community violence to political competition, arguing that peace building efforts must go beyond election periods to address the wider causes of conflict.
He called on county governments to develop mechanisms that can respond to different forms of violence, including disputes within communities and tensions arising from political activities.
“Kama counties zitaweza kucome up na strong system ya early warning early response, wataweza kujua issues zinafanyika kwa sub counties, wards through sub county administrator. Counties zitajua wananchi wanapanga nini in terms of violence,”
With the 2027 General Election approaching, Alphonse said establishing peace departments would help counties strengthen their preparedness. However, he maintained that the need for such structures extends beyond elections and should be addressed as part of routine county governance.
He also urged county governments to work with community peace organisations, invest in prevention and establish clear systems for responding to warning signs.
For Alphonse, the objective is to move away from waiting for violence to occur before taking action, towards a system in which peace building is embedded in county planning, budgeting and service delivery.
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