The National Youth Council of Kenya (NYC), in partnership with the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) and its Women, Youth, Peace and Security Institute (WYPSI), has launched a training programme to empower young people with leadership and peacebuilding skills.
The course, which targets to train 35 participants drawn from Kenya and Uganda, commenced on June 23, 2025 and is scheduled to run for five days.
While unveiling the training in Nairobi, Principal Secretary, State Department for Youth Affairs and Creative Economy Mr. Fikirini Jacobs said inculcating the culture of peace in the youth is a recipe for development.
“We know that Kenya and Africa in general is a very important continent, and we want to harness that peace so that we can have the development,” said the Principal Secretary’s representative, Ms Emily Maina, the Director of Youth Social Development.
Ms. Maina described the training as very important, saying leadership is about influence and the youth leaders participating in the training would be able to cascade the same to ensure that Kenya, Uganda and Africa in general become strong and well-developed.
Speaking at the same event, National Youth Council Acting Chief Executive Officer Ms. Gloria Waweru said the training is timely. “It focuses on youth in leadership and peace-building, which is a critical component in Kenya, especially at this time,” she said.
Ms. Maina said the right to picket and protest is protected by our Constitution and young people may express themselves however they deem necessary.
“But what has been absolutely unfortunate is when we see young people being weaponised against each other. I think the one thing that we all collectively agree on is that we want a good country,” she emphasised.
Acting Director of the Women, Youth, Peace and Security Institute of the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, Ms Sylivia Abra Nutsukpui said the organisation decided to hold the training in Kenya because the leadership and peacebuilding training being carried out is grounded in consultation and research, which are well grounded in the country.
“It’s important to emphasise that we actually, in 2024, engaged different organisations and youth in Kenya but also in Uganda, as well as in Senegal, Ghana, and Nigeria, amongst others, to be able to identify the gaps and the issues that relate to leadership and peace building,” she explained.
Ms. Nutsukpui said as part of the consultation process, the organisation has been able to put together and develop a training for the youth.
She said her organisation is looking forward to increased knowledge amongst the youth from Kenya and also from Uganda within the context of this training programme.
“The major objective is to identify issues related to the gaps—or the nexus—between peacebuilding and leadership,” Ms. Nutsukpui explained. “We want to understand the dynamics at play, but more importantly, bring the youth together to connect, network, share experiences, and learn from one another. This way, we can collectively work toward a more peaceful continent going forward.”
By Douglas Namunane and Duncan Sikoyo
