About Us

VISION:

A peaceful, just, and responsive society.

MISSION:

Create a lasting culture of active non-violence, constitutionalism, social justice, and human rights.

About Us

SITARUSHA MAWE TENA CBO is an organization that was inspired by the need to break the cycle of violence in Kisumu. This violent cycle has caused grievous human rights violations sandwiched by incessant destruction of lives and property.

Since Kenya’s independence in 1963, enough historical evidence proves that Kisumu has never enjoyed peaceful coexistence for five consecutive years without experiencing mass violent protests. The cycle has earned Kisumu the negative tag of being branded as a violence hotspot in Kenya.

While it is legal to protest peacefully, as enshrined in Article 37 of the 2010 Kenyan Constitution, any form of dissent easily degenerates into violent skirmishes. Protesters use violence to air grievances while state agencies combat them with excessive force.

As much as violence knows no age, sex or social status, young people in are perceived as the main perpetrators of violence. This negative profiling has not only led to young people being targeted by society but also used to deny them civic and political rights. The youth profiled as violent and riotous makeup more than two third of our population.

The most effective way of breaking this cycle of violence is by inculcating a culture of active nonviolence as a form of airing grievances and ensuring those who perpetrate are held accountable.

The rallying call “Sitarusha Mawe Tena” is a Swahili phrase translating to “I Shall Not Throw Stones Again.”

Mawe (Stones) is a common fighting tool for protesters who normally use violence during demonstrations. For us, ‘Mawe’ symbolizes the various forms of violence that members of our communities use whenever they want to air grievances.

Launched on the 8^th of December, 2012, the organization has mainly endeavored to inculcate a culture of active non-violence and social justice. We first registered as a self-help group in 2013 but later upgraded into a Community-Based Organisation (CBO) in 2019.

OBJECTIVES

• To promote sustainable peace by inculcating a culture of active nonviolence and social justice for all.
• To support and empower communities to demand and defend Human Rights.
• To create platforms that ignite and empower young people to participate effectively in their governance and development.
• To provide platforms that enhance networking, collaborations, and partnerships.
• Support the incorporation of Artivism as an effective tool in articulating social change.