CONTEXTO NACIONAL

Organizations and scholars have placed Kenya‟s poverty level at 57% in urban areas

(UNICEF, 2008). Much of this poverty in Kenya was as a result of insufficient

income to meet basic needs (UNICEF, 2008; KTTF, 2009:155). According to KTTF

(2009), poverty and segregation were at the forefront of 2007/2008 PEV in Kenya.

MIS residents were faced with hunger, income deprivation, illiteracy, poor access to

basic services and infrastructure (Irungu, OI, 27:11:2010). Despite the efforts made

by ACK in peace building, alleviating poverty is a daunting task. This is because it

requires localized, sustainable and costly programs. Poverty alleviation programs

require multifaceted approaches and must be owned by the target community.

MIS lacked government development initiatives that could engage the idle

population. Despite the government economic interventions such as Kazi kwa Vijana

program, Kiswahili for employment for the youth population, most youth remain

unemployed (FGD 3, 23:10:2010; FGD 6, 24:10:2010; FGD 4, 28:10:2010). The

residents were ignorant of these programs, despising or dismissing them as a reserve

for the affluent. The initiatives were marred with corruption and mismanagement by

provincial administration (Njoka, OI, 21:10:2010; Mwangangi, OI, 12:10:2010;

compromised by the poor economic status of the residents (Nguni, 22:11:2010).

This became a setback in peace-building because economic stagnation creates

poverty, unemployment and subsequently vulnerability of populations to conflict

(Opongo, 2006b:33).

The ACK peace education programs initiated in 2008 had been slow due lack of

funds for curriculum development and staff training in peace building (Njoka, OI,

21:10:2010; Mwangangi, OI, 12:10:2010; Mautu, OI, 27:11:2010). High levels of

illiteracy, therefore, challenged peace-building activities in MIS. This is because

ignorant communities are easily lured into violence due to lack of exposure and poor

decision-making skills (FGD 3, 23:10:2010; FGD 4, 28:10:2010). Literacy and

education were seen by many respondents as inherently important and conducive to

reducing and overcoming instability and violence in MIS. This is underscored by the

fact that education helps people find expedient solutions to their surrounding

problems. It is also noted that literacy and education play a key role in both

preventing conflict and rebuilding post-conflict societies (UNESCO, 2005).

Illiteracy in MIS was placed at 75% of the adult population (Mutegi, 2009: 19). A

population that harbors high levels of illiteracy is disadvantaged in dealing with

violence; such population lacks basic skills in conflict resolution mechanisms.

Illiterate population lacks exposure that is critical in building inter-relations,

especially of multi-ethnic nature (UNESCO, 2005).

MIS had an estimated population of 180,000 people living in an area of 2 kilometers

the most densely populated informal settlements in Kenya. Over-population of MIS

has made peace-building difficult, especially because of over-stretched public

amenities (FGD 3, 23:10:2010; FGD 4, 28:10:2010). The settlement lacked water,

electricity, toilets and sewerage services to serve the high population (Nyakundi, OI,

23:10:2010, Otiende OI, 23:10:2010). In MIS, population grew steadily due to rural-

urban migration (Marichu, 2010:47). The number of children living in the streets

within the MIS increased as the area provided a safe haven to the fleeing street

families who were being chased away from the city centre by the government in

City Centre clean-up program (Gathoni, OI, 26: 10:2010; Irungu, OI, 27:11:2010).

Many of these children were accustomed to violence because of hopelessness,

unemployment and lack of decent livelihood, rendering them ready recruits for

violent gangs in MIS. Such gangs were tapped by politicians, particularly but not

exclusively during elections thus undermining peace-building (Waria, OI,

27:10:2010; Jacob, OI, 23:10:2010; FGD 4, 28:10:2010; Manyeki, 27:10:2010;

CIPEV 2008).

Over-population of MIS made it difficult for security personnel to access MIS and

quickly identify criminals. The law enforcers could not use vehicles and other

security machineries due to narrow paths within MIS. The criminals managed to

easily assimilate themselves with the rest of population soon after committing

crimes (Waria, OI, 27:10:2010; Jacob, OI, 23:10:2010; FGD 4, 28:10:2010; FGD 9,

The ACK peace building programs in MIS could only reach 30% of MIS population.

As such, the larger population were left out in peace-building programs especially

education, counseling and capacity building due to large populations against limited

peace-building staff. The welfare programs that were designed to alleviate poverty

and humanitarian assistance following the 2007/2008 PEV were inadequate

(Gathoni, OI, 26: 10:2010; Irungu, OI, 27:11:2010).

The emergence of new security threats such as terrorism and drug trafficking

traditionally not experienced in Kenya and Africa at large posed a challenge to ACK

peace building activities in MIS (Irungu, OI, 27:11:2010). The inaccessibility of

MIS to law enforcement officers coupled with elements of corruption amongst local

administration officials provided an enabling environment for crime to prosper

(Njoka, OI, 21:10:2011). Conflicts in MIS were majorly associated with criminal

gangs and were a major source of income. This made it difficult for them to abandon

the trade. Many conflicts were advanced by drunkard and drug dependant

individuals (Koskey, OI, 11:10:2010; Otieno, OI, 23:10:2010). It was difficult for

the ACK to bring such individuals to peace building forums and activities. The ACK

peace building initiatives like peace forums would be rudely interrupted by criminal

gangs (Irungu, OI, 27:11:2010).

Another crime that was faced in MIS and the world at large is the proliferation and

circulation of illegal small arms and light weapons (FGD 4, 28:10:2010, FGD 9,

27:11:2010, Machira, 2008). Our informants were equivocal that small fire arms

28:10:2010; FGD 9, 27:11:2010; CIPEV 2008). By virtue of their easy availability,

relative cheapness, technical simplicity and concealable nature, these weapons

became arms of choice to various categories of criminals mainly in the informal

settlements (Machira, 2010; Warui, 2011). Availability of illegal arms rendered MIS

volatile, despite peace building efforts. Minor disputes translate into full-fledged

conflicts using fire arms (FGD 4, 28:10:2010; FGD 9, 27:11:2010).