The United Nations has placed over 50 peace monitors in violence hot spots ahead of tomorrow's referendum.
Speaking in Kisumu during a UNDP media workshop, UN Volunteers Programme Officer Julia Albert-Recht said the monitors would help track down those engaging in hate speech and incitement.
She said the culprits would be reported to relevant authorities for action.
Ms Albert-Recht said this is aimed at ensuring a peaceful voting period, unlike the clashes after the December 2007 General Election.
"All volatile areas across the country have volunteer peace monitors who will help identify those engaging in," she said.
SMS alerts
She added: "This will help prevent crisis besides promoting peace and development."
The UN official said the volunteers, both locals and foreigners, were trained for the assignment before being deployed.
She said they had established an information centre where the messages sent through the SMS would be verified before being taken to the authorities.
Advocating volunteerism is one of the key activities of the UNV programme, and has helped defuse tension in conflict areas across the globe. In Kenya the organisation has helped build schools for refugees in Daadab, among other projects.
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Sustainable peace and promotion of democracy values and human rights respect is paramount to promote prosperity and equal opportunity for all
ReplyDeleteirrespective of social backgrounds.
Building nation must aim highly on considering national peaceful co-existance and not national building nepotism which is regressive manner and unacceptabel in good goverance state.