2008-03 Concerned Citizens for Peace Initiative

On January 1, 2008, The Concerned Citizens For Peace initiative came into being in response to the violence that had erupted in Kenya after the elections. One of the original five core members is Dekha Ibrahim Abdi.

Learn more:

Concerned Citizens For Peace (pdf)

CCP Report 03/2008 (pdf)

2008-01 Violence in Kenya

On January 5, we spoke on the phone with Dekha.

She said it was heartbreaking to see her country falling back into this state of violence and chaos. According to Dekha, the recent outbreak of violence was no longer about who had won the elections, but about a divided country.

Dekha has been called to Nairobi, where she spent the last week holding meetings, working with peace networks, the media council and others, taking action for dialogue and "harvesting ideas".

Dekha doesn't see a quick fix, but also sees a "tiny, tiny" light on the horizon. It is important for her to send out the message that there is not only the violence shown on global television, but there are a lot of committed and concerned Kenyan citizens striving for peace, too.

Dekha calls for international, high-level peace mediators, who have experience with similar situations, to come to Kenya, to give advice and mediate.

More information:

2008-01-10 Peace lobby offers seven-point guide. Daily Nation, Kenya.

2007-11-29 Kenya's "Alternative Nobel" winner pledges cash for peace. Reuters, South Africa.

Dekha Ibrahim Abdi announces to use her $77,000 prize money to found a "Peace University" in Wajir.

Read the article...