Election Agenda 2017 and Beyond
Preparations towards the 2017 general elections have already started. Political activities have intensified as voter and civic education are on-going. The media have upped their reporting of the build up to the elections. In some sense, these are all exciting events! However, in another sense, these are moments of anxiety that call of individual and collective introspection. Like any other general election, the 2017election has distinctive characteristics such as intense political competitiveness, realignments, (re) strategizing and rebasing. Perhaps one of the differentiating characteristic on this year’s general election is the interplay between national and county electioneering dynamics and political party positioning.
Value Based Education in Kenya
Introduction The study aims to contribute to the advancement of a holistic child education in Kenya. The guiding research question in this study was to establish the centrality of value-based education, particularly through the use of audio-visuals in schools, homes, and religious spaces. These are spaces where children spend a considerable time and therefore likely to influence their attitudes and character formation.
While teachers provide the essential classroom learning that children need for their academic performance, there is a significant gap in providing children with value based education. Learning also takes place in the families, among peers and in institutions such as the church, and on various media platforms.
DECENT AND GREEN WORK IN
AGRICULTURE REPORT
Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD) has been working towards decent work objectives; and it is now transitioning and adapting its strategy to a low-carbon green economy that should, going forward, be mainstreamed in all its business and human rights, climate change, and energy access work. Further, the organization intends to root the Decent
and Green Jobs narrative in Kenya. To champion this course, they began engagements with Jesuit Hakimani Centre(JHC) that has a wealth of research experience in rural livelihoods and economic justice in Kenya.
HEALING AND RECONCILIATION
It is not just the security agencies that have ensured peace in the country. Based on this survey, it is clear that the common mwananchi is not only praying for justice and peace in this country but is actually doing something to ensure an environment that allows for justice and peace is actualized at the local level. There are notable efforts done by individual Christians, parishes and dioceses as well as other Kenyans of different faiths. The respondents carry out several activities such as formation of justice and peace forums at various levels, conducting civic education, advocating for public participation whenever required and, where there is a diversity of tribes there is evidence of many positive dialogues engagements that take place. These efforts and many initiatives cumulatively have contributed to the relative peace we are now enjoying. Even if these peace initiatives at the grassroots are not pronounced and appreciated at the county and national level, the government and high level non-state actors should embrace and support grassroots initiatives in promoting justiceand peace.
CLIMATE SMART WATER GOVERNANCE
Kenya is a water scarce country and water resources are unevenly distributed across and/or within the six water basins including Athi basin, Tana Basin, Rift Valley Basin, Lake Victoria North Basin, Lake Victoria South Basin and the Ewaso Nyiro Basin. The Tana and Athi River catchments are the most significant in Kenya that cover vast areas of the land yet the most vulnerable to catchment degradation, which increases their risk to drought and flooding in view of climate change. Based on the current water demand and future national development plans, it is estimated that Kenya could face a 31 percent gap between water demand and practically available water supply by 2030. Therefore, concerted measures must be put in place to conserve the water catchment areas and ecosystems.
Food Security For Marginal Communities
It is increasingly becoming clear that climate change is affecting communities and countries across the world especially in East Africa. Kenya's coastal counties and counties in ASAL regions have been particularly hard hit given the frequent extremes of drought and floods. Of many effects of climate change, water scarcity and water access are demonstrable climate related challenges in Garissa and Kilifi Counties. Access to water is uneven in the two counties and is likely to worsen, as the extreme climate stays unchecked. In Garissa County, a paltry 23.3% of the population is guaranteed water access, while in Kilifi only 33.7% are guaranteed regular
and reliable water supply. This acute shortage has led to stiff competition for this dwindling resource that inevitably leads to ethnic and inter-clan conflicts resulting in violent confrontations, deaths, loss of property and forced migration (internally displaced communities).
