Odede convenes National Elders Convention to discuss peace and development

The 2-day gathering, held under the theme “Culture, Peace, Cohesion, and Development”, assembled elders from across the country's 47 counties to foster consensus on national development agenda.

“What we need is an elders’ roundtable, above politics and tribe, to guide the youth, preserve cultural values, and promote dialogue,” Dr. Odede said, underscoring his conviction that elders, with their lived experience, remain critical moral anchors.

Dr. Odede, whose vision has been internationally recognised, most recently with his receipt of the 2025 UN Nelson Mandela Prize for community-led development, emphasized that Kenya’s cultural custodians must lead the charge against divisive tribalism and electoral tensions.

“Our elders have always been misused, especially during political seasons. As we head to 2027 general election, our elders should be the voice of reason to guide the community into peace, cohesion, and prosperity,” he added.

At the convention, European Union Ambassador to Kenya,  Henriette Geiger, delivered remarks reaffirming Europe’s commitment to Kenya’s peace and growth.

“The European Union stands with Kenya’s elders as guardians of social cohesion. Sustainable development hinges on dialogue, and we support forums like this that unite voices across regions,” Geiger said.

This vision aligns with Ambassador Geiger’s calls for economic diversification and stronger institutional frameworks—a key message she has consistently delivered in engagements such as urging Kenya to diversify exports and build industrial capacity under the Kenya EU Economic Partnership Agreement.

“What you elders have in common is the concern for the future of Kenya. Kenya has come a long way and it is the hope for the all of Africa,” she stated.

At the same time, Ambassador Geiger called on the elders to preach peace and encourage coexistence among communities.

“Elders, I urge you not to allow ethnic confrontations in the next elections. It is not only Kenya losing, it is the whole region that will lose because Kenya is the light of democracy in the region,” she added.

Former Makueni Governor and seasoned academic, Prof. Kivutha Kibwana, reflected on the importance of elevating elders’ voices in governance:

“Elders transcend political cycles. Their role is to nurture values across generations and ensure that peace remains our guiding compass,” Prof Kibwana said.

He added: “We must embed elders’ wisdom within our institutional frameworks, recognizing that development is not only about policy but about purpose.

“Peace is sustained not just by law, but by belief. Let us enshrine the elders’ role as a gauge of integrity, guiding Kenya toward lasting unity.”

On his part, Major (Retired) John Seii, Chairman of the National Elders Council, drew from his own community service experience.

“Our mandate is clear: to be watchdogs of integrity and catalysts of development. We convene today not as relics of history, but as anchors of harmony and progress,” Seii said.

He added: “Where politics divides, our voices as elders must bridge. Let us recommit today to active integrity, to bridging divides, and to nurturing the next generation as heirs to our peace.”

The convention passed several resolutions among them being a program deploying trained elders to mediate inter-communal tensions in election hotspots, formal recognition of elders as advisory partners in county governance structures, and pairing elders with young leaders to facilitate skills transfer in governance, entrepreneurship, and social cohesion.

“We must take what we have begun here and plant it across Kenya. Peace is not made in the headlines—it is made in the homes, in the herders’ fields, in the mamas’ marketplaces, and in our sacred rituals.

“To the elders: your work begins anew. To the youth: your ears must be open. To the leaders: your time for divisiveness is over. Kenya is watching. And history is recording,” the convention moderator and cultural preservationist Dr. Mugo wa Njoroge said. Dr. Mugo is also the founder of Foundation for Dialogue.