The classification of Baringo being among the 10 counties mapped as hot spots to election related violence has led to a youthful bodaboda rider in Kabarnet town to mount speakers and Generator to his motorbike and ride to every town in Baringo calling for peace on and after the elections.
In a motorbike fitted with speakers,Generator and sound Mixer Gabriel Nyongesa 27 (Junior Gospel)said what he was motivated to start the peace initiative after he witnessed his brother almost killed 2007/2008 general election.
Being his own peace initiative drive,he wakes up everyday in the morning to do bodaboda business till afternoon where he will have collected enough to feed his young family and the balance to hire a generator and fuel then proceed to strategic locations such as matatu stage,market places preaching peace and singing of patriotic songs as he rides along.
The peace drive which he started a month ago,he has made tremendous step and has so far covered all the major towns in Baringo and the neighbouring county of Elgeyo Marakwet despite the setback of lack of fuel for generator and his motorbike to reach out to masses but that doesn’t stop him in driving his mission of having a cohesive country.
I spent one afternoon with him,to know the spirited motivations that drives him and why he uses his personal resources,in an interview with him Gabriel said peace is a collective responsibility and we should not only wait for commission set up for peace but should be individual responsibility.
His one message for the youth is not to allow to be used by politicians to cause violence or fight with fellow brother in an activity of a day which its impact will last forever,he added what the country witnessed in 2007/2008 post election violence should be a lesson learned on the importance of peace.
The national cohesion and integration commission has classified 10 counties as hot spot of violence,they are Nairobi, Baringo,Samburu, Nandi ,Nakuru,