The Tuvuke- Initiative for Peaceful and Fair Electoral process in Kenya is a systematic effort aimed at developing collaborative pre-emptive actions and activities to forestall any pre-planned or spontaneous violence before, during and after the elections and to equip Kenyans with knowledge and skills so that individually and collectively they can enhance peace and justice. The Initiative, hosted by the Kenya Women Holding, is driven by a consortium of 17 Ford Foundation grantees organized around thematic areas. The Consortium has designed a collective campaign to ensure that the next general elections in Kenya are peaceful and fair and that youth and women participate throughout the election process.
Democratic practice demands that all citizens participate in regular free, fair and peaceful electoral processes. But for decades, and especially since 1992 and the reintroduction of multiparty democratic participation, general elections in Kenya have been held under an wide range of negative emotions and experiences for individuals and families due to the manipulation of the process by the political elite and the exclusion of the many voters from exercising their constitutional right to choose leaders of their choice. The exclusion, alienation and disregard of the wishes of citizens by politicians culminated in the violence that engulfed Kenya immediately after the 2007 controversial elections. The period was without doubt the lowest our country had sunk since independence on account of the deaths and displacement of citizens as well as the destruction of property. The nation, previously viewed as the regional economic power house and an icon of peaceful coexistence was suddenly on its knees and in tears. In resolving the political crisis, we were able to start thinking systematically about what needed to be done to ensure that Kenya does not again find itself on the brink of total collapse. Kenyans accelerated the constitution making process and overwhelmingly gave themselves a people-centred Constitution through a peaceful national referendum. The promulgation of the Constitution in August 2010 paved the way for fundamental reforms in governance and leadership. The implementation of the Constitution and the holding of free, fair and peace elections are key to political stability, economic growth, increasing opportunities for youth employment, reducing poverty levels, ensuring that all citizens can meet their basic needs and regain their dignity as human beings, consolidation of national unity and inter-ethnic trust, eradicating impunity and increasing accountability and transparency in conducting public affairs.
It is within this context that seventeen civil society organizations, with support from the Ford Foundation, have come together under the TUVUKE Initiative for free, fair and peaceful elections. The foundation of TUVUKE is the Constitution of Kenya.
OUR TARGET AUDIENCE
TUVUKE will target Kenyans aged 18 years above, but with a particular focus on youth (age 18-35 years) and women. Because men are key gatekeepers in the attainment of women's rights, they will be targeted as secondary audiences.
Goal
Under the slogan of K- PEACE 2012, the project seeks to promote a fair, peaceful and democratic electoral process in Kenya by fostering a culture of fairness, peace, entrenching broad inclusive political participation and advocating diversity.
Specific Objectives
- To determine priorities for the strategic engagement of civil society for an election outcome that serves the interests of the citizens, sustains progress with constitutional reforms and promotes a new democracy in Kenya.
- To develop and reinforce proactive activities to forestall any pre-planned or spontaneous violence as a reaction to the electoral process or the elections outcome.
- To enhance participation of youth, women, and other excluded groups in the electoral process in Kenya.
- To build on past support for activities undertaken after the Post-Election Violence in Kenya in 2007/2008 and which addressed peace and fairness activities
- To work with the Independent Elections and Boundaries Commission to guarantee public confidence in the electoral process and public trust of the outcome of the elections in compliance with the Electoral Act 2011.
- To engender the electoral process and ensure the inclusion and representation of women, youth and the marginalized communities.
- To work with women and youth so that they can become agents of peace and fairness in the electoral process.
- To enhance the capacity of practitioners in traditional and new media to use their platforms innovatively for voter and civic education towards free, fair and peaceful elections.
