KWALE BASED HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATION PROMOTES CULTURE FOR PEACE
Culture for Peace -Cultural dance at kinango Baraza Park in Kwale County/Caroline Kahonzi
By Caroline kahonzi
Human Rights Agenda Organization, through various donors, has organized a cultural ceremony in Kinango baraza park, Kwale County as one of the ways of sensitizing the community to continue embracing peace and living harmoniously.
The celebrations brought together women from different tribes to showcase their traditional recipes and traditional songs.
The director of the human rights agenda organization Huria Yusuf Lule, says that it is important to ensure gender mainstreaming and also use women for peace through culture .
“We just concluded The 2022 general elections that were largely peaceful albeit closely contested and there could be a section of Kenyans who were not happy with the outcome and therefore peace initiatives need to continue throughout, we have organized this session to start as a discussion and a dialogue to realize that culture and traditions are an important link to bring harmony in society, “Said Mr.Lule.
Mr.Lule argued that Kenyan constitution 2010 recognizes traditions and cultures.
“I think in article 10 of our Constitution, the values and principles of constitution recognize that cultural participation is one of the things that we hold very close to our hearts as a country so that they can guide the attitudes and behaviors of Kenyans, article 44 also recognizes that culture is something that is recognized as a fundamental right that encourages the use of local languages in the community,” Emphasized Mr.Lule.
Mr Lule has also challenged the community to use digital networks to promote culture.
“We are in a digital error and everyone is guided by the social media spaces, but the truth is that we have a good chance to use social media to promote our culture, it is a challenge for the young people to use social media to promote our customs,” urged Mr.Lule.
On her part, the Deputy county commissioner of Matugasub County ,Lucy Ndemo, implored women to learn how to invest in development projects that would earn them an income.
“A woman is not someone who sits and waits to be fed , a woman is someone who sends herself out to find money, if she has a husband they put together their income so that they can meet the important needs of their families such as providing the basic needs i.e. food and paying school fees ,” Claimed Ms.Ndemo.
Lucy has challenged women to help in shaping the morals of society.
“We say that in our areas we have a problem with night dances that are played at weddings, in funerals but no one forbids the things that take place in those celebrations, contrary to what happened during our cultural days, but these days the dances have no limits, you will find school children going to night dances and eventually end up getting early pregnancies and drop out of school,” Lamented Ms.Ndemo.
At the same time,she has asked the residents to end cases of abusing the elderly people under the pretext of being involved in witchcraft activities.
“Society has a responsibility to protect the elderly but not to kill them and acquire land, under the pretext that they are witches, old age is not magic, it is a gift from God, if they are in trouble, let us help them, buy them clothes and give them food so that they can protect our traditions and culture,”Emphasized Ms.Ndemo.
Zuleikha Hassan, immediate former woman representative, encouraged women to take part in cultural activities and accommodate other different tribes.
Judy Kimamo, the Director for search for common grounds, challenged the Kenyan government to cautiously cultivate women peace building spaces across the country.
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