The peace campaign hailed ‘Mkenya Daima’ yesterday entered its phase II after curtains for the first phase fell.
The second phase is themed ‘MY KENYA IS NOT….’ and will run up to October this year, after which an evaluation will be done to open doors for the third chapter.
Launched earlier this year, the 2 Billion operation is meant to wash away seeds of discord during and after elections. The second phase is setting sights on dealing with all the negative elements that divide Kenyans.
“Mkenya Daima has experienced successes and many people are willing to join the fight against ethnicity, and other malpractices that divide us as Kenyans. The greatest success is the resonating of ‘Mwenye Nchi sio Mwana Nchi’ analogy among Kenyans,” said Eng. Patrick Obath, the chairman of Kenya Private Sector Association (KEPSA) during the flagging off.
The campaign has brought together various stakeholder groups such as DANIDA, Safaricom, Inoorero University, KCB and Sameer Group among others, to ensure they are part of the bandwagon advocating for peaceful elections come 4th March 2013.
“We have a daunting task in the next eight months to ensure Kenya is not brought to her knees by the recurrence of the 2007-2008 Post Election Violence,” said the National Civil Society Congress representative, Mr. Morris Odhiambo.
The campaign steered by KEPSA and other members of the private sector is a Kenyan initiative with a the campaign face (steering team) made up of stakeholders including civil society, religious leaders, ordinary citizens and all people of goodwill, who identify themselves as ‘owners’ of Kenya with a responsibility to ensure the best interests of the country are put first by all, irrespective of political affiliation, tribe, religion or economic status.
Mkenya Daima has mobilized Kenyans to sing the National Anthem 5 minutes before 1pm on the 4th day ofevery month and seeks to entrench this as a sign of patriotism.
Recounting the National Anthem as a prayer, the peace campaign chairman Mr. Vimal Shah said that if people can listen to the message in the anthem, unity can prevail in the country, and every Kenyan will address one another as a Kenyan and not use tribes and other affiliations as benchmarks for judging others.
“Our National Anthem is a prayer that brings all Kenyans together and singing it accentuates the message that we are one regardless of our racial, tribal, and ideological or any other difference we have,” said Mr Shah.
The campaign has also signed in the Ministry of Justice and the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) to oversee speedy justice and bringing to book to political leaders, the media and members of the public who are inciting Kenyans and disseminating hate speech.
While unveiling the thematic TV Campaign (TVC) ‘Tushangilie Kenya’, the Operations Chairman (My Kenya Campaign) Polycarp Iathe, said that the song would be sang every time a Kenyan wins a medal in the upcoming Olympic Games.
The initiative seeks to mould Kenya that provides an ample environment for business and for every stakeholder and citizens to realize their highest aspirations.
Speaking during the launch, Vision 2030 CEO Mr. Mugo Kibati said a peaceful election is the first step in achieving the nations aspirations and becoming the number one middle income state not just in Africa but worldwide by the year 2030.
