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UWIANO Platform for Peace is a conflict prevention strategy utilized as a forum for strengthening coordination and leadership around political and electoral processes. The Platform was established in May 2010 to provide a coordination framework for Electoral Violence Reduction Initiatives (EVRI) in the run up to the 4 August 2010 constitutional referendum. UWIANO, a Swahili word for “cohesion” was a call for peace and tolerance in the referendum, which took place in wake of governance reforms negotiated following the 2007 post-election violence. The UWIANO Platform for Peace is guided by its clarion call “Choose Kenya, Choose Peace,” (Chagua Kenya, Chagua Amani).

UWIANO Platform for Peace was the brain-child initiative of four organisations namely the National Steering Committee on Peace Building and Conflict Management (NSC) (co-chair), National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) (co-chair), Peace and Development Network Trust (PeaceNet) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Its membership has since grown to include Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), National Police Service (NPS), Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP), Council of Governors (COG), Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA), Kenya Media Council (KMC), Inter-Religious Council of Kenya (IRCK) and United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women).

UWIANO Platform for Peace remains a critical vehicle for managing electoral violence in the country. Alongside other initiatives, it was instrumental in delivering relatively free, credible, inclusive and peaceful 2013 and 2017 General Elections. The UWIANO Platform for Peace has been reinvigorated to support and coordinate efforts towards a free, credible, inclusive and peaceful 2022 General Elections and transitions thereafter.

UWIANO Platform for Peace is a conflict preventive strategy that provides space for a wide range of partners, actors and stakeholders to build synergy and leverage their efforts for conflict prevention and peace building in Kenya. The Platform has put Kenyans in charge of their own EVRI by operationalizing the NCEWERS. The NCEWERS include offline and online tools and features for tracking, reporting, and retrieving evidence of hate speech, incitement, and other forms of violence instigation through text, images, voice, and video.

Uwiano@108: Uwiano Kenya @108 is a public platform to engage Kenyans in adding their voice to peacebuilding efforts in Kenya. This platform integrates the use of SMS, Incident Reports and Media reports to help strengthen peace and conflict prevention efforts in Kenya.

Uwiano@108 receives conflict incident reports and requests for assistance from the general public in Kenya through SMS (short-code 108); email ([email protected]); Twitter(@Uwiano108); Facebook (Amani Kenya) or through direct entry on the website via our reports page.

Development and deployment of a robust Conflict Early Warning and Early Response System (NCEWERS). As a result, the 2010 constitutional referendum was marked without a single incidence of violence despite Kenya a country having experienced political hostility in the past. The NCEWERS, through crowdsourcing, identified potential violent hot spots and responded swiftly to defuse tensions. This prevention effort identified and pre-empted nearly 150

In 2012-2013 and 2016 - 2017, the Uwiano Platform for Peace mobilised and galvanised Kenyans in promoting peace and delivering a peaceful election.

There has been considerable progress in setting up institutions charged with security, peacebuilding and conflict resolution, reconciliation and promotion of human rights such as National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC), the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), Commission on Administrative Justice (CAJ), Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC), Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC), National Land Commission (NLC), and National Police Service (NPS), among others. There has also been significant progress in development of key legislation in this regard.

The Platform has also delivered a robust and vibrant peace architecture at the national and county level. These includes but not limited to mediators, peace committees/forums and monitors.

The UWIANO Platform for Peace has integrated gender in its collective interventions. UWIANO grassroots structures such as cohesion monitors, peace committees and mediators demonstrated meaningful representation and participation of men and women, and boys and girls.

The Platform has undertaken regular conflict assessments and deep dives to inform programming and policy at the national and county levels.

Theory of Change:

This strategy is premised on the theory of change that, IF political leaders and citizens are rallied to reject electoral polarization and negative ethnicity, IF early warning and early response infrastructure at the National, County and Community levels are strengthened, IF citizens have trust in key electoral institutions, THEN the 2022 elections will be free, fair, credible, inclusive and peaceful.

The anticipated change:

1. UWIANO Platform for Peace revitalized and strengthened.
2. EVRI stakeholders and capacities at the National and County levels identified and mapped.
3. Improved coordination of EVRI at the National, County and Community levels.
4. Increased trust and confidence among the population on UWIANO Platform for Peace particularly it's leading members i.e. IEBC, NCIC and NSC to contribute to free, credible, inclusive and peaceful elections.
5. Enhanced capacities of EVRI responses including gender-responsive Conflict Early Warning and Response at the National and County levels.
6. Improved knowledge on the dynamic electoral landscape because of regular research, assessments, and dissemination of such findings to key UWIANO Platform stakeholders and the public.