Kenya has launched a National Mediation Hub aimed at promoting peace, dialogue and preventive security in learning institutions as the country prepares for the 2027 General Election.
The hub, established under the Jukwaa la Wasomi Initiative, is domiciled at the Wangari Maathai Institute for Peace and Environmental Studies at the University of Nairobi. It will connect more than 30,000 school- and campus-based mediation hubs with national government administration officers and their agencies.
The initiative is expected to help institutions address grievances, student unrest and mental health challenges through dialogue and alternative dispute resolution rather than force.
The launch on Monday, September 21, 2026, coincided with the graduation of Certified Professional Mediators trained under the Jukwaa la Wasomi Mediation and Preventive Security Training Programme, the 2026 International Day of Peace and the second annual Jukwaa la Wasomi Summit.
Murkomen warns against student exploitation
Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said the initiative comes at a critical point in Kenya’s electoral cycle, with the 2027 General Election just over 10 months away.
He urged student mediators to help prevent political disagreements from escalating into violence, particularly as political activity intensifies in universities and colleges.
“Emotions will run high, including in campuses where students will express different political views. Do not be passive observers. Be instruments of peace,” Murkomen said.
The CS also raised concerns over the recruitment of students by political actors, saying some students are mobilised for political activities and subsequently turned into “goons”.
He urged the mediators to identify such situations early and help prevent students from being exploited by political players.
Students to get role in security decisions
Murkomen also announced a new framework that will bring student leaders and academic administrators into security and intelligence committees.
He said the framework would give students a direct voice in decisions concerning their safety within learning institutions.
The CS said the government also plans to institutionalise the Jukwaa la Wasomi programme within two weeks.
He said universities had traditionally been places where future national leaders debated ideas and the direction of the country, adding that the initiative seeks to promote constructive political engagement among students.
PS cites scale of student violence
Principal Secretary for Higher Education and Research Dr Beatrice Inyangala said the Jukwaa la Wasomi Summit should focus on challenges facing young people, including building trust and equipping students to handle disagreements constructively.
She cited research indicating that 90 per cent of students have experienced violence either as perpetrators or victims. The research indicated that women accounted for 65 per cent of those affected, compared with 35 per cent for men.
The Jukwaa la Wasomi programme is being implemented nationally by the Universities and Colleges Students’ Peace Association of Kenya (UCSPAK) through the Ministry of Interior and National Administration.
The programme brings together the Executive Office of the President, the Ministries of Education and Health, the Judiciary and other government agencies.
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