By Daniel Kipchumba
Midrift Human Rights Network Kenya has conducted a training on how to use digital platforms to promote peace. The training brought together media practitioners and youth peace and governance champions in Nakuru to discuss the role of digital spaces in promoting peace ahead of the 2027 elections.
Jacinta Wanjiru, a resident of Kabati in Naivasha, a hotspot area prone to election violence in Kenya, called on politicians to maintain peace during elections, saying women and children are particularly vulnerable during conflicts. Recalling the 2007 post-election violence, she stressed the importance of peace and urged social media users to be careful about what they post.
“It is very important to maintain peace. We must be very careful with what we are posting on social media,” said Wanjiru, who is also a content creator.
Kenneth Kamau, a youth leader in Naivasha, warned politicians against using unemployed youth to cause chaos. He said young people were vulnerable to manipulation because of unemployment and financial incentives.
“It is not time to use the youth in a negative way. It is time to now engage the youth in a positive way,” Kamau said.
He called on young people to unite across political differences and maintain peace in Naivasha ahead of the 2027 elections.
While the two youths call for peace in the digital space, many Kenyans who witnessed the deadly 2007 election violence remember how tensions escalated on the ground. There was no clear way to report the growing tension and incidents of violence, including murders.
During the meeting, stakeholders were taken through the reporting process of Usalama 107, a countrywide digital platform created last year to help prevent violence through early reporting. The platform serves as an early warning tool, allowing members of the public to anonymously report violence, tension and early warning signs of human rights violations in their areas.
.jpg)
Joseph Omondi, the Executive Director of Midrift Human Rights Network, said Usalama 107 is an early warning and early response platform aimed at addressing conflicts as Kenya prepares for the 2027 elections.
Speaking during the meeting in Nakuru, Omondi said the stakeholders discussed how to use digital spaces to promote peaceful elections.
“We are trying to look at how we can use the digital space to have a conversation about having credible, but also peaceful election,” he said.
Omondi said the platform brings together the National Police Service, the National Cohesion and Integration Commission and other stakeholders to respond to reported cases. He said previous early warnings had not received adequate responses.
“We have acknowledged that previously people have been issuing early warnings, but the response has been weak,” he said.
Omondi said around 105 cases had been reported through the app, with almost 80 cases handled, depending on investigations and responses. Members of the public can report cases anonymously or provide their details to track how their cases are handled. They can also report incidents by calling or sending a text to 107.
He urged the media and members of the public to report cases that could lead to conflict ahead of the elections, saying early warning and early response were a collective responsibility.
“Let us help also the security agencies by at least reporting some of these cases,” he said.
Media Council of Kenya Rift Valley Regional Coordinator, Mr Joseph Mecha, has urged journalists to confirm the accuracy of information before sharing it with the public. He says the rise of artificial intelligence has made it easier to create fake information and pass it off as true, warning that misinformation and disinformation can spread tension among communities and fuel chaos, especially during election periods. He has called on journalists to be extra careful and verify their facts before publishing or airing any story
Kenyans have not forgotten the 2007 post-election violence, which claimed more than 1,500 lives, displaced thousands of people and left others with injuries and scars that they continue to live with today. Many families lost their homes, businesses and other sources of income, with some yet to recover from the losses caused by the violence.
As the country heads towards the 2027 General Election, concerns remain that some politicians could use hate speech and inflammatory statements to turn Kenyans against each other for their own political gain. More than 58 political leaders are reportedly under active monitoring and investigation over alleged hate speech, incitement and inflammatory remarks ahead of the elections.
