Back Southern & East Africa: Kenya: Formation of the Inter-Party Provincial Committees (IPPCs) "The convening of the IPPC is a dream come true and a demonstration that NDI is committed to seeing democracy work in Kenya." IPPC member, Nakuru
Overview With funding from the Dutch embassy in Nairobi, Kenya, NDI has successfully completed convening Inter-Party Provincial Committees (IPPC), in four out of the six districts anticipated to be included in this initiative. The launch of the various committees commenced with a pilot project in Nakuru on September 19-20, 2002. This was followed by Kakamega on September 30, 2002, Kisumu on October 1-2, 2002, and Kisii on October 3-4, 2002. This report covers the four districts mentioned above; the two districts that remain are Mombasa and Thika, where IPPCs have yet to be launched. The IPPC initiative, although initially intended to cover all the provinces, is now intended to focus on certain districts that have been classified as "hot spots," or areas that are expected to be particularly competitive - and thus have a high potential for violence - during the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections in Kenya. IPPC Objectives During two rounds of training for Kenyan political party branch officials conducted by NDI in late 2001 and early 2002, participants recommended the formation of inter-party provincial committees in the lead-up to the elections. NDI subsequently worked with party officials to form the IPPCs to achieve the following key objectives: To promote a multiparty, democratic political culture through dialogue, debates and tolerance at the provincial level; and, To establish a mechanism for parties to work together to reduce violence and insecurity in the electoral process. IPPC Convening Forums Invitations to the launch of the IPPCs in the first four provinces were extended to provincial coordinators, branch officials, provincial administrators, members of religious organisations, key representatives and candidates. During the course of the launch, attendees were introduced to the NDI political party program as a whole, and more specifically, the rationale, aims and objectives of the IPPC initiative. NDI also met with local officials, including the police, to share information about the IPPC initiative and discuss ways in which it might complement the work already being done to reduce violence at the local level. "Bringing the provincial administration in the picture is a demonstration of the need for all the stakeholders to participate in the political process. I look forward for fruitful collaboration in this initiative." Nakuru District Commission A key segment of the launch was the "swearing-in" ceremony of IPPC members, political aspirants and candidates and local party officials, in which they were asked to articulate their commitment to reduce violence and increase integrity in the electoral process in Kenya. This session also involved focused discussion on the causes of violence and insecurity in the electoral process, as well as brainstorming regarding practical strategies to minimise violence and insecurity. In addition, NDI held in-depth discussions with select IPPC members in each province to examine their terms of reference and address any concerns or questions concerning their mandate. The workplans and specific activities that each IPPC plans to implement were also analysed to identify possible weaknesses and develop strategies to overcome potential obstacles. "In Kisumu, candidates and parties believe that the only way to reach the voters is by who is most violent. IPPC has come at the right time and is targeting the main culprits who are normally involved in electoral violence." IPPC member, Kisimu IPPC Achievements The launches of the IPPCs in the first four provinces achieved a number of important initial results, including those outlined below: Practical Skills Training During the launches, participants were offered training on the Election Code of Conduct, with a particular emphasis on the responsibility of parties and candidates to hold peaceful elections by following the code's provisions. In addition, participants learned how to hold focus group discussions, a skill which will be useful in implementing their own grassroots activities without NDI involvement. Since the launch, the IPPC in Nakuru has in fact already begun organizing its own sessions. Resource Allocation IPPC members in the four districts have mapped and identified priority geographic areas where grassroots activities will focus. These "hot spots" are defined as constituencies likely to see highly competitive elections and/or ones that have historically experienced significant electoral violence. IPPC members have agreed to concentrate their energy and resources on these "hot spots". Local Ownership of the IPPCs The fact that the IPPCs were successfully convened in the four districts was in itself a major achievement, as the launches followed extensive negotiations and consensus building among party officials, particularly concerning criteria for membership on the committees and the initiatives to be pursued at the local level. Strategic Local Linkages and Networks In meetings with NDI, other local stakeholders in the electoral process expressed support for the idea of the committees, indicating that they are timely and appropriate as an anti-violence initiative. NDI was subsequently able to secure their support and collaboration in the IPPC initiative, including their participation as committee members. These linkages will be crucial in maintaining a united anti-violence front as election day approaches. Contact Information For further information on our programs in Kenya, please contact: Alexious M. Butler, Program Officer Send Email Updated November 2002 Back