Town hall meetings under ‘Haki Yetu’ project bring together youth, religious and community leaders to rebuild trust after deadly unrest

May 15, 2026 - Peace actors in Garissa and Kitui counties have intensified community forums to restore calm and rebuild trust following weeks of deadly communal clashes that paralyzed transport and trade along the Garissa–Mwingi–Nairobi highway.

The meetings, held under the Haki Yetu project, bring together civil society groups, youth and religious leaders, and officials from both national and county governments. The initiative is funded by KIOS Foundation and implemented by MUHURI.

Tensions flared after the killing of a taxi driver in Garissa and a bandit attack in Tseikuru, Mwingi, that left eight people dead. Retaliatory attacks followed, disrupting traffic for days and leaving businesses looted and economic activity at a standstill.

“We must guard peace at all costs,” said Garissa MUHURI Coordinator Abdihakim Shurie on the sidelines of a forum. “As neighbors, we depend on each other economically and socially. You can choose a friend, but you cannot choose a neighbor.”

Participants said the unrest exposed how quickly misinformation spreads, with unverified social media posts fueling anger between communities. Abdullahi Abdi warned that some youth were using platforms to spread hate and incite violence.

Youth leader Abdirahman Keynan urged residents to act as peace ambassadors and to report criminals to authorities rather than resorting to collective punishment. “The few bad elements out to destabilize peace should be identified and dealt with according to the law,” he said.

Pastor Lazarus Katiso emphasized interfaith unity, saying: “We are all created in the image of God, whether Christians or Muslims. Our holy books teach us to love and care for each other.”

Nimo Iftin added that crime should be treated as an individual act. “Law enforcement should pursue those responsible. Citizens should never attack an entire community or clan because of one suspect,” she said.

The forums concluded with a call for political leaders to avoid inflammatory remarks and instead champion dialogue and coexistence to protect the long-standing social and economic ties between the two communities.