NCIC LAUNCHES FIVE YEAR PLAN TO UNITE KENYANS

The National Cohesion and Integration Commission NCIC on Friday officially launched their 2015/2020 strategic plan in their efforts to maintain tranquility in the country.

NCIC says the youth were a big inspiration when drafting the plan since they are a vulnerable population and can easily be influenced to disrupt the tranquil in the society.

‘We believe that unless the youth are sustainably recognized we cannot achieve peace in the society. They are affected by issues of unemployment and poverty. It is easy to take advantage of people in such situations, says Commissioner Linda Ochiel at a hotel in Nairobi during the luncheon of the strategic plan.

Ms. Ochiel says that there are many challenges that also informed the production of that plan and made promise that NCIC would address issues of economic injustices, implementation of the constitution, national identity and peace building and reconciliation.

‘However there is the emerging issue of extractive industries that is affecting cohesion of various communities in the country. We realized that with the discovery of oil and other natural resources we are beginning to experience an area of conflict that we have not focused on as a country and this has also informed the strategic pillars in our five year plan,’ says Ms. Ochiel.

Chairman Francis Ole Kaparo has advised Kenyans to desist from participating in negative ethnicity.

‘There are Kenyans who are blaming their downfalls on particular communities.They probably think their misery, poverty and lack of education is as a result of some areas having more resources than others. However devolution will ensure resources are distributed equitably to ensure development reaches the citizen at grass roots level,’ assures Kaparo who also once served as the speaker of the National Assembly.

During the luncheon Kenyans were urged not to spread hate speech through rallies or via social media as this would bring negative ethnicity and divide Kenyans.

‘We are monitoring those spreading malicious messages laced with tribalism in social media. Many media reports have asked why we have not arrested such suspects yet. However we cannot achieve cohesion by only taking people to court,’concludes Commission Secretary Hassan Mohammed.