Peace and Stability in Kenya: The Role of Religious Actors

August 4, 2015
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. EDT

Various faith-inspired actors and institutions in Kenya work to foster peace and prevent violence across the country. Violent extremism in Kenya and the region, however, has unsettled inter-religious relations, exacerbating long-standing ethnic, political, and socio-economic divisions. This workshop gathered 60 faith-inspired and secular actors/organizations who are working for stability and social cohesion in Kenya. Participants explored the complexities of working with multiple religious traditions toward common goals, drawing both on Kenyan and international experience.

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Peace and Stability in Kenya: The Role of Religious Actors

Featured Participants

Agnes Abuom Toggle

About Agnes Abuom

Agnes R. M. Abuom, who passed away in June 2023, was the moderator of the World Council of Churches' Central Committee from 2013 to 2022—the first African and first female to do so. She represented the Anglican Church of Kenya on the World Council of Churches' governing bodies; in 2017 she was awarded the Lambeth Cross for Ecumenism by the archbishop of Canterbury. She received her master's degree and doctorate from the University of Uppsala.

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Mustafa Y. Ali Toggle

About Mustafa Y. Ali

Dr. Mustafa Y. Ali is the Director of Arigatou International – Nairobi, and Secretary General of the Global Network of Religions for Children. He has been working to build peaceful, just, and harmonious societies and has been promoting peaceful coexistence between faiths and communities around the world for the last 15 years. His work focuses on religious and political extremism, interfaith dialogue and action, and conflict resolution in the most challenging locations in Africa, including his native country, Kenya. He previously served as the secretary general of the African Council of Religious Leaders and as the Africa representative of Religions for Peace International. In 2012, Ali was awarded the Coexist International Peace Prize in New York for his vision and courage in mobilizing religious and faith leaders in transforming difficult and challenging conflicts in many parts of Africa.

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Francis Kuria Toggle

About Francis Kuria

Bio: Dr. Francis Kuria Kagema is the secretary general of the African Council of Religious Leaders-RfP and executive director of Inter-Religious Council of Kenya (IRCK), a position he has held since 2008. He previously served as programs director and head of the IRCK-RfP secretariat for a period of six years. Before joining the Inter-Religious Council of Kenya, Dr. Kuria worked as the national coordinator for the Small Business Network, an organization advocating for small and medium enterprises. He also worked as a financial analyst at the Nairobi Stock Exchange, and as a volunteer with St. John Ambulance Brigade, where he worked for 16 years, eventually retiring as assistant commissioner of training and operations in 1998. Dr. Kuria holds a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery, and is married with four children.

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Other Participants

Fred Nyabera Toggle

About Fred Nyabera

Rev. Fred Nyabera is the director of End Child Poverty, a multi-faith, child centered, global initiative of Arigatou International that mobilizes faith-inspired resources to end child poverty. As a social scientist and trained theologian, Nyabera’s interest is in development and peacebuilding work. He previously served as pastor at Nairobi Baptist Church and Karen Community Church respectively; and the Fellowship of Christian Councils and Churches in the Great Lakes and Horn of Africa (FECCLAHA), where he worked together with faith-based, civil society, government, inter-governmental and multilateral organizations to improve the wellbeing of communities in Eastern Africa by supporting accountable governance and promoting peace and security. He holds a B.A. in Sociology and Anthropology from the University of Nairobi, Bachelor of Divinity from Union Biblical Seminary, India, and post graduate studies in Conflict Transformation with the Eastern Mennonite University, US. He is also currently pursuing a master's degree in Organizational Leadership at Africa International University, Kenya.

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Elias Omondi Opongo Toggle

About Elias Omondi Opongo

Dr. Elias Omondi Opongo, S.J., a Jesuit priest, is the director of Hekima Institute of Peace Studies and International Relations (HIPSIR) and the regional coordinator of the Africa Forum for Catholic Social Teaching. Elias holds a Ph.D. in Peace and Conflict Studies from University of Bradford, UK and M.A. in International Peace Studies from University of Notre Dame. His research focus is in the areas of transitional justice and post conflict reconstruction, state building and community peacebuilding. He has published books, book chapters and articles including, among others, books titled: (2006) Making Choices for Peace: Aid Agencies in Field Diplomacy; (2007) Faith Doing Justice: A Manual for Social Analysis, Catholic Social Teaching and Social Justice; (2008) Peace Weavers: Methodologies of Peacebuilding in Africa; (2014) Catholic Leadership in Peacebuilding in Africa.

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Samuel Waweru Toggle

About Samuel Waweru

Samuel Waweru is the information officer at Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops – Waumini Communications. In this role he serves as acting editor of KCCB’s national newspaper The Catholic Mirror and is the media liaison officer. Before joining KCCB, Mr. Waweru was the managing editor for the Environment Liaison Centre International’s journal, Ecoforum, a lobbying and advocacy tool. With eighteen years of experience in communication and media, he has worked with the Daily Nation as a reporter and also edited other publications, including Construction Review, Agricultural Review, and Kilimohai, a publication of the Kenya Organic Agriculture Network. Mr. Waweru holds a B.Sc. degree in information sciences from Moi University, Eldoret.

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Related Publication

Event Summary August 22, 2015

Event Summary: Peace and Stability in Kenya

A wide range of faith actors and institutions in Kenya have long worked to foster peace and curtail or prevent different threats and forms of violence. World Faiths Development Dialogue (WFDD) research on faith-based peace efforts in Kenya focuses…