MIDRIFT HURINET

07/10/2026

Today MIDRIFT HURINET hosted a team from the British High Commission Office, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO UK) for a working session on the implementation of the SCOPE Project, under the Kenya Institutional Strengthening Programme (KISP).

Discussions centered on strengthening collaboration between the two organizations and aligning the delivery of project activities with the terms of the partnership agreement while reviewing the performance reporting framework, including regular progress updates and how results will be tracked against agreed indicators.

The team covered shared commitments that guide the partnership, including safeguarding and zero tolerance for sexual exploitation, abuse, and sexual harassment, gender equality and social inclusion, data protection, risk management, and environmental responsibility. They further discussed accountability and transparency and planned the way forward, including closer coordination on upcoming activities in Nakuru County.

MIDRIFT is implementing the project in Nakuru County, in partnership with Elgia Afric, with support from UK in Kenya.

fans

07/10/2026

News Highlight: County Multisectoral Coordination and Collaboration Forum on Peace and Security in Nakuru County hosted by MIDRIFT HURINET in collaboration with Elgia Afric and support from UK in Kenya under the new project "Strengthening Capacities of Peace Actors for Peaceful Elections"

https://x.com/ntvkenya/status/2107545386583781839/video/1?t=7

National Government Administrative Officers - NGAOS I Ministry of Interior and National Administration I Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission(IEBC) I Kenya Judiciary I Administration Police Service I Media Council of Kenya I CSO Network I Inter-Religious Council of Kenya I National Cohesion and Integration Commission I fans

Credits: NTV Kenya

Forestalling Electoral Violence Nakuru County has begun early preparations to prevent and manage conflicts that could arise ahead of the 2027 General Election. Peace and security stakeholders, the IEBC, youth representatives and county officials met to assess early-warning and early-response mech…

06/10/2026

Government institutions mandated to enhance peace and security have a key role in ensuring violence-free, credible and peaceful elections next year. As key partners in the County Multisectoral Coordination and Collaboration Forum on Peace and Security, they made commitments to work together and to strengthen their efforts towards peace and security ahead of the . Below are the key remarks and commitments shared by the institutions during the forum:

The Media Council of Kenya, through the Nakuru Regional Coordinator, Mr. Joseph Mecha, shared the strategies in place ahead of the in the media. “Currently, we are promoting proactive disclosure of information to counter misinformation, disinformation and propaganda by training media practitioners, including journalists, bloggers, and content creators on how to verify information before dissemination, using key tools and software made available across the country in launched media hubs.” Part of the media training conducted by the institute also includes conflict-sensitive reporting, inclusion, and conflict-sensitive reporting as a contribution to peacebuilding, as well as media bias in time and space allocation in broadcast and print media, respectively, that could fuel conflict in the political space.

As partners in the coordination and collaboration forum, he emphasised that "No single entity can work alone. We all need to play our unique roles and pool our efforts for a better outcome," and committed to fulfilling their roles effectively in preparation for the general elections.

National Cohesion and Integration Commission called on security teams, electoral bodies, civil society, and community leaders to align local peace architectures with the NCIC 2027 Roadmap to a Violence-Free Election (Uchaguzi Bila Noma), rooted in 5 Strategic Pillars: 1. Trust Building - Strengthening relations between citizens, security agencies, and election management bodies, 2. Responsible Leadership - Ending political zoning, enforcing the Peace Charter, and ensuring leadership accountability; 3. Youth Protection - Preventing the exploitation and deployment of youth in political goonism, 4. Digital Hygiene - Combatting online hate speech, political disinformation, and AI deepfakes, and 5. Conflict Disruption - Linking grassroots early warning tools like MIDRIFT HURINET’s and Peace-Cop Kenya's USALAMA 107 directly with security teams for rapid mediation.

As NCIC Chairperson Bishop Dr. Kepha Omae, through the Nakuru Office Program Officer, Benon Kuyo, affirmed: "Kenya has chosen prevention over panic, foresight over firefighting, and unity over the politics of division."

The Inter-Religious Council of Kenya has been holding national dialogue forums as part of its preparedness strategy, bringing together interreligious institutions to discuss their role in enhancing peace and security at the grassroots level. The Council also shares peace messages and strategies in places of worship, including churches, passing relevant information to the appropriate authorities as part of early warning, while championing peace at the community level.

Elgia Afric I UK in KenyaI National Government Administrative Officers - NGAOS I Ministry of Interior and National Administration I Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission(IEBC) I Kenya Judiciary I Administration Police Service I I fans

06/10/2026

MIDRIFT HURINET, in collaboration with Elgia Afric and with support from UK in Kenya, is convening a County Multisectoral Coordination and Collaboration Forum on Peace and Security today in Nakuru County.

The forum has brought together key state and non-state institutions that are part of the Nakuru County Multisectoral Coordination and Collaboration Forum to assess the current status of the partners in enhancing peace and security, their readiness for the , review the commitments in the platform, and create unified action plans towards a violence-free, peaceful, credible, and fair general election in Kenya next year.

During the forum, representatives from security agencies, including the County Security Intelligence Committee led by the Nakuru County Commissioner, Dr. Loyford Kibaara, the Kenya Judiciary, government institutions including National Cohesion and Integration Commission, the National Steering Committee on Peacebuilding and Conflict Management, the Inter-religious Council of Kenya, and the Media Council of Kenya, civil society, and Sub-county Youth Focal Persons, and community groups shared their current implementation efforts on peace and security, future action plans, and commitments towards violence-free, peaceful, credible, and fair elections.

The Assistant Sub-County Police Commander, Nakuru East, Madam Ruth Kabete, applauded the Multi-agency engagement, stating that these forums are an essential platform to allow partners to report to each other on their ongoing efforts on peace and security and identify areas they can support and collaborate with each other in enhancing peace and security in the county.

“As the National Police Service, we are preparing effectively for the next general elections by training police officers on electoral offences and the action to take when such offences occur. Both the youth and the police are also being sensitised on peaceful conduct during the electoral period,” she stated.

She also called upon the Youth Focal Persons to take the lead in mobilizing young people to prepare for the elections, “invite other security agencies, including the police, to these forums as this will open up conversation and rebuild the existing relationship between the youth and the security agencies.”

The County Elections Manager at Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission(IEBC) Nakuru, Mr. Gideon Balang, shared that the commission is making relevant preparations towards the elections next year, sharing key efforts they have made in this regard, such as mass voter registration exercises ongoing. “Election Preparedness is not a one-entity mandate. As IEBC, we are delighted to be included in this multisectoral platform, allowing us to work together with all of you as key partners,” he said. “The key question now is how we deliver a credible and peaceful election, walking together as we synergize our efforts and make the outcome our own."

The partners at the Nakuru Multisectoral Coordination and Collaboration Forum have committed to closer collaboration and coordination ahead of the 2027 General Election, stressing that no single institution can deliver a peaceful poll on its own.



National Government Administrative Officers - NGAOS I Ministry of Interior and National Administration I National Counter Terrorism Centre - Kenya I CSO Network I Inter-Religious Council of Kenya I Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions Kenya I I fans I

05/10/2026

Week 2026: Visit our offices this week for inquiries, assistance, or collaboration. Our team will listen and respond with dignity and care because serving you is at the heart of everything we do.

Our mandate remains unchanged: to protect human rights, provide psychological first aid, prevent violence, and build lasting peace.

fans

30/09/2026

Tried, Approved and Trusted! Our new brings together duty bearers, peace actors, security agencies, youth and community members for a safe and secure period. Together, this collaboration will help ensure peace, security and a violence-free electioneering period next year.

We are building a network of youth peace ambassadors, strengthening peace structures across Nakuru County and promoting the USALAMA 107 platform, so that early warnings are reported, verified and acted on before tension turns into violence.



UK in Kenya I Elgia Afric I National Cohesion and Integration Commission I National Government Administrative Officers - NGAOS I Ministry of Interior and National Administration I National Police Service I Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission(IEBC) I

30/09/2026

Youth Voices at the Inception Forum: Nakuru County youth have expressed Frustration with Duty Bearers, lack of Personal Initiative, and the need for Civic Education and Diversified Reporting channels as the main challenges affecting them.

Unprofessional conduct by some duty bearers in the police service and Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission(IEBC) offices in the way young people are handled when they report incidents or visit public offices has affected youth preparedness and participation in the process.

A youth representative from Naivasha accused some IEBC officials in the sub-county of turning away Gen Z youth who visit their offices to register as voters. "We have instances where IEBC officials in Naivasha deliberately turn 's away when they go to the offices to register as voters," the youth said. "This has made young people lose hope in taking part in any electoral process."

The remarks point to a widening trust gap between young people and electoral institutions, which is one of the gaps the project seeks to close through youth-duty bearer engagement.

Another representative from Molo Sub-county challenged young people to take responsibility. "As youth, we have to ask ourselves why we are not taking the initiative," she said. "Let us take the initiative ourselves and encourage our peers to do the same." The call reflects the peer-led approach at the heart of , in which youth peace ambassadors reach and mobilise their fellow young people.

They also listed unemployment, drug and substance abuse, mental health challenges, political polarisation and recruitment into violent groups, lack of inclusion in decision-making spaces and a lack of initiative among some young people among the challenges they face.

To address these challenges, the youth called for the strengthening of Community Policing Committees, the rebuilding of the relationship between young people and duty bearers such as the police, personal initiative, and more anonymous violence reporting channels that are accessible to all community members.

Youth from Nakuru Town West identified Mazembe, Pondamali and Shabab wards as hotspots for youth mobilisation and called for civic education in these areas.

UK in Kenya I ELGIA AFRIC I National Cohesion and Integration Commission I National Government Administrative Officers - NGAOS I Ministry of Interior and National Administration I CSO Network I fans I

30/09/2026

The Deputy County Commissioner for Nakuru Town East, Mr. Wycliffe Opiyo, warned that the rise of social media has turned digital spaces into an active battleground for misinformation, hate speech and ethnic polarisation, posing a serious threat to peaceful elections. He urged peace actors to treat the digital space with urgency, cautioning that failure to act could cost the country the peace it has worked to build.

The DCC called for innovative local systems that can detect, track, and counter hate speech. He also urged the development of networks for constructive civic engagement and positive narrative building, and stressed the need to reach young people where they are, in the spaces they use every day.



Ministry of Interior and National Administration I National Government Administrative Officers - NGAOS I fans

30/09/2026

MIDRIFT HURINET, in collaboration with Elgia Afric and with support from UK in Kenya, is officially launching a new project dubbed "Strengthening Capacities of Peace Actors for Peaceful Elections" in Nakuru. The project targets key peace actors, security agencies, duty bearers, and youth from Nakuru East, Nakuru West, Njoro, Molo, Naivasha, Kuresoi North and Kuresoi South sub-counties.

The inception meeting has brought together state and non-state institutions, CSOs, the national government administration through the office of the county commissioner, and other key election-related partners such as the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission(IEBC) to conduct a rapid electoral conflict and youth-vulnerability assessment, mapping out priority electoral risks, youth mobilisation risks, existing reporting channels, and response gaps in the county.

SCOPE will build an inclusive network of youth peace ambassadors who can recognise possible electoral violence risks, champion conflict de-escalation and counter the mobilisation of young people into violence in the 7 subcounties.

The project will also strengthen peer ambassador networks, de-escalation initiatives, peace hubs and civic engagement, and will revitalise county-level Conflict Management Panels to verify incidents, refer early warning information, link with situation rooms and support community-based monitoring.



Ministry of Interior and National Administration I National Government Administrative Officers - NGAOS I National Cohesion and Integration Commission I Administration Police Service I ORPPKenya I fans

29/09/2026

Amani Clubs National Essay Marking & Evaluation Workshop 2026:
This year's Amani Clubs National Essay Marking and Evaluation Workshop brought together Amani Club National Officials and county coordinators serving as lead markers and moderators to review the standardized norms and standards for marking English compositions and Kiswahili Insha, anchored in the evaluation guidelines of The Kenya National Examinations Council.

During the workshop, the team produced a harmonized English and Kiswahili marking scheme that can be reused and refined in the coming years, a body of markers now scoring to a common standard, and a written record of the ideas students raised on peace and cohesion. They also documented the key themes emerging from the essays, captured lessons for strengthening future competitions, and began planning the 2027 Amani Club calendar of activities.

Speaking at the opening, Kennedy Kunani, National Chairman of the Amani Club, stated, "Our main objective of this workshop is about essay writing, anchored on peace and education. We want to develop critical thinking, so that our learners can analyze issues and articulate them clearly in an essay." He urged markers to pay close attention to key details and to keep asking how the questions came up, so that standards stay consistent. He also thanked Midrift for joining at the right time, noting that collaboration and integrity have been central to everyone who has worked on the marking and evaluation workshops over the years.

Dr. Sammy Gathii, the Executive Director of YADEN East Africa, described an essay as "at its core, an argument", one that offers a personal perspective based on analysis. "Knowledge is generated to solve problems, and that is exactly what we want our students' essays to reflect," he said. He challenged participants to think about how essay writing can become more than a competition and take young writers to the point of actual publishing.

Director Kilian Nyambu of the National Cohesion and Integration Commission noted that the Amani Club's work runs through the full school calendar, from debate to essay writing to the recognition that follows through national awards and competitions. He explained that the targeted essay questions help students write about issues in their own communities, such as radicalization, violent extremism, and ethnic violence. This gives peace and security duty bearers critical information, which they share with relevant authorities for response and action.
He also stressed the importance of geographic context, saying that where an essay comes from helps map issues across communities. "It's not just about identifying good writing, it's about understanding what our young people are seeing and experiencing where they live," he said.

The Amani Clubs is an initiative set up to plant , tolerance and national cohesion in learners from an early age. It gives young people in learning institutions across the country a structured space to debate, speak and write their way through the issues that divide communities, enabling them to participate fully in strengthening peace and cohesion in their own communities.

The workshop was convened by the National Cohesion and Integration Commission in partnership with the Kenya Ministry of Education, MIDRIFT HURINET and YADEN East Africa, together with the Amani Club National leadership.

I fans