CHAPTER TWO.

THE ACTIVITIES OF MULTILATERAL DIPLOMACY IN

KENYA.
2.0 Introduction.
In this chapter, the researcher has discussed the various activities of multilateral
diplomacy that the Kenyan people and community have been involved in. The
study discusses on how the various activities have impacted the development and
growth of Kenya and how it has improved the livelihood of people. Multilateral
diplomacy has played a key role in offering approaches for problem solving and
tackling of the activities for them to accomplish the development goals. The
activities discussed include Arms proliferation, Climate change, poverty
eradication and protection of human rights.

2.1 Arms proliferation.

Proliferation is the rapid increase in the number or amount of something. Arms
proliferation is the sudden increase in the number of arms and weapons beyond
those needed for legitimate national security. The concept of proliferation of
arms and weapons is defined as a method which arms and weapons are sold to
private citizens especially in the conflict zones. Hazan and Horner 2007, defined
proliferation as the growth or numerous multiplications of illegal arms and
weapons in the country. I concur for when a state supplier does not exercise
restraint in the production, transfer and acquisition of such arms and weapons
beyond those needed, unidentified groups will get access to them for evil
intentions.

The arms proliferation issue emerged as a priority with the creation of nuclear
weapons during the second world war, at the end of the war the US officials were
worried that the nuclear weapons would spread and dozens of states would be
armed with the weapons of mass destruction and there was a failed attempt in
international control of the weapons. The proliferation of arms and weapons
became a social development problem of many countries including Kenya, for it
had a great implication on national security. National security as a concept is
initially predicated on military force whereby the military is strong enough to
declare war standing by itself. However overwhelming military strength does not
always result in security of a state with others using exemplified weapons during
war. An example is in the case of the cold war between USA and USSR where they
were both secretly installing ballistic missiles and other mass destruction weapons
to destroy the countries involved. Barash and Webel 2009 explains that although
there is often a legitimate military dimension to national security it must be
emphasized that national security cannot be measured by military parameters
alone. I agree for national security is the freedom from danger or absence of
threat from multidimensional elements that may affect the nation’s ability to
develop itself and promote its cherished values and national interests. It is at this
point that the United Nations enhanced the global efforts to combat the
proliferation of arms and weapons, by taking measurable and even legal steps to
curb it.

Kenya, which is a member of the UN commenced on the implementation of the

United Nations Programme of Action (UNPOA) which handles Small Arms and
Light Weapons (SALW). This is the only document declaration also supports any
approach proposed by any country, which is a member state of the UN with an
intention of mitigating effect of careless handling of small arms and light
weapons. The African Unions heads of government also adopted a decision
concerning cooperation in search for solutions to the problems posed by the
proliferation of SALW in Africa. Kenya signed the Nairobi Declaration on 15th
March 2000 on the illicit Proliferation, Circulation and Trafficking of Small Arms
and Light Weapons. Under the United Nations Programme of Action every
country has committed itself to establish national coordination agencies or bodies
and institutional infrastructure responsible for policy guidance, research and
monitoring of efforts to prevent, combat and eradicate the illicit trade in SALW in
all aspects. According to article 4(d) of the National Protocol requires member
states to establish or enhance inter-agency groups involving policy coordination,
information sharing and analysis at national level. Several measures have also
been applied in addressing the challenge of illicit small arms and weapons by
Kenyan government and organization that are against it. They include
disarmament, awareness raising, arrest and prosecution. An example is recently
President Uhuru Kenyatta burned over 5144 illegal fire arms and obsolete state-
owned small weapons and light weapons at the Regional Traffic Police Training
Centre in Ngong, Kajiado county.

Figure 3.

Figure 3: Burning of illegal fire arms at Ngong, Kajiado county.

He further urged these making of home-made dangerous guns to join the newly
built government facility that produces guns. This is to create awareness and to
ensure that the people will stop involving themselves in illegal activities and to
ensure the security of the people, for when these arms get into wrong arms, they
pose a danger to the well being of the people. And to also avoid arrests for it is an
offense to be found with illegal arms or a prohibited weapon.
Below is a diagram representing legal arms that have been produces for the
Kenyan government.

Figure 4

Figure 4: President Uhuru Kenyatta holding CMZ-4 Assault Rifle made at the KWS law enforcement
academy in Manyan, Taita Taveta County.

The Kenyan government has also taken various initiatives like marking of the
firearms. The Nairobi Protocol for the Prevention, Control and Reduction of small
arms and light weapons in the Great Lakes region and the Horn of Africa explains
that making fire arms at the time of the manufacture, with a unique marking
providing the name of the manufacturer, the country or place of manufacture and
the serial number. I support this initiative for it has ensured strict access and
restriction on possession of small arms by civilians and the appropriate marking
necessitates tracking and monitoring of the arms. This has enabled proper
management of the national firearms stock pile. This is also to reduce the
availability of weapons that drive rising insecurity and crime to the community
and directly affecting the people by causing fear and the insecurity especially
towards there young children who will be exposed to such a life. This reduces the
accessibility for gum possession for a gun possession, for one has to go through
various procedures before owning a gun or any small arm.

According to the United Nations Development programme (UNDP), the Kenya

National Focal Point (KNFP) has put a lot of efforts aimed at reducing the
proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons. The website for KNFP was
developed and operationalized to enable the public access information related to
arms control and management. I concur for KNFP has built capacity building
structures charged with arms control and management, and with the
establishment over 119 District Task Forces (DFTs) on small arms and light
weapons in Nairobi, Vihiga, Busia and Kakamega counties among others. The
work of the task forces includes raising awareness within communities on the
dangers of destructiveness of gun use and gun violence and the effects of armed
violence and also the impact it creates on women and men and their children.
They are also educated on the ways to reduce and prevent armed violence,
including monitoring the use of arms by a community member.

Figure 5

District Task Force (DTF) and the Kenya Defense Forces raising awareness to a community in Baringo
county on using of illegal arms and weapons.
2.2 Poverty Eradication.
Poverty is a state or condition in which a person or a community lacks the
financial resources and essentials for a minimum standard of living. Poverty
eradication is a set of measures both economic and humanitarian that are
intended to permanently lift people out of poverty. Poverty occurs in both
developing countries and developed countries, but it is much more wide
spreading developing countries because of the low economic growth, a weak
agricultural sector, increased population rates and high volume of inequality.

In 2015, more than 736 million people lived below the international poverty line,
with most people living in extreme poverty and struggling to fulfill the most basic
needs like health, clean water, food and sanitation to name but a few. But
poverty eradication became a measure to combat poverty around the world.
Poverty reduction became the first forum to fight in the 17 Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Sustainable Development combines concerns about the healthy future of
humanity and this is the approach that puts the needs of human beings at the
center of development activities with a view to ensuring that their needs are fully
satisfied by protecting and conserving the environment for the sake of future
human generations. It created a people-centered poverty free development
which incorporates mechanism to ensure equity, empowerment of the poor and
participatory decision making. According to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development the main SDG target is to ensure mobilization of resources from a
variety of sources including through enhanced development cooperation, in order
to provide adequate and predictable means for developing countries in particular
least developed countries, to implement programs ad policies to end poverty in
all its dimensions. I support this for poverty is a great challenge for the people and
the country as people suffer and strain just to have one meal in a day and survive
another day and the country’s economic strain which does it necessarily favor
growth and development.

In 1996, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution on poverty

eradication, and marked 17th October International Day for the Eradication of
poverty. It involved intergovernmental and non-governmental organization to
assist states in organizing national activities for the observance of the
international day, paying due attention to the specific problems of the destitute.
Kenya being a member of the UN joined the fight mission on poverty eradication
around the world and in Kenya for it is still a lower-middle income economy
country but also one of the largest and most developed in eastern and central
Africa. Kenya’s government has made many efforts to address the issue of
poverty and different policies were made to ensure that the fight against poverty
was initiated. The first phase was the Swinnerton plan 1952-1954. The second
was KANU Manifesto 1963 and the Sessional paper no 10 of 1965 on African
Socialism and its application to planning in Kenya. The third phase was marked by
the district focus for Rural Development 1983 and sessional paper no 1 of 1986 on
Economic Management for Renewal Growth. Arguably the fourth phase consisted
of policies which were fronted by the World Bank and International Monetary
Fund (IMF). Such policies include Structural Adjustment Programs (SAPs) which
were meant to stimulate economic recovery in Kenya. It has also received
significant help international institutions as well. An example of an organization is
the Poverty Eradication Network (PEN) whose mission is to create wealth and
prosperity in Kenya through value driven programs that enhance capacity and
sector coordination. PEN is a Kenyan registered Public Benefit Organization (PB0)
that works with citizens organizations and public institutions at the county,
national and the regional level in shaping the development agenda of their
communities and the country at large. Like in 2014, a 10,000 liters water tank was
instilled at Mutalani Primary School compound for roof catchment water
harvesting. The recommendation to have the tank installed at the primary school
by the community was through MAWE Community Based Organization.
Figure 6

Figure 6: A 10,000 liters water tank instilled at Mutalani Primary School by the Poverty Eradication
Network (PEN).

I support this initiative for they ensure that every person benefit from the
development activity in one way or another. Like the installation of the tank
enabled every student in Mutalani Primary to have access to clean water and also
every household in the sub-location is represented by a child in the school hence
every community member will benefit.

The non-governmental sector has also made a significant in roads in virtually

every facet of the country’s development and plays a crucial role in various
development objectives like education, health, infrastructure among others. John
Omiti 2002 explains that the NGOs sector have registered a veritable presence in
the political, economic and social sphere. It has not only influenced policy on
poverty alleviation but also effectively involved itself in initiating poverty
alleviation program. They have added to the government’s efforts in raising the
economic status of the people. I concur for NGOs evolution has taken place in
Kenya in many ways. The NGO have taken some significant initiatives to handle
the poverty situation in Kenya through various economic empowerment
strategies considering certain aspects like for Speedier economic growth
achievement process, Human resource development and Specific target setting
for the poor. Hence a combined strategy considering the three aspects has been
necessary by most NGO projects in the country. Concerning the Humanitarian
Progress and Sustainable Development of Organizations for Rural Poor in Kenya.

Figure 7

Figure 7: Community initiatives for rural development from the NGO development projects.

Lewis & Kanji 2009 report that despite the fact that poor people have a vast
experience with life, they incapable of developing exact ways to scientifically
analyze and fix their problems and whatever possessions they have. I agree for
they are only exposed to the challenges and struggles of life for them to survive
with no structure on how to do things to better their lives in even little ways. And
in this case, efforts of the NGOs, CSOs (County State Overviews) AND CBOs
(Community Based Organizations) are worth mentioning for they help those
people analyze the society problems in the backdrop of old, superstitious, anti-life
perspectives. An example is that several primary training, improved training,
organizing exchange programs among different groups or areas, regular adult
education activities, weekly analytical discussions etc. that have been held in
Kenya since 2005 to 2013 in Kenya by Plan Internationals, WHO, World Food
Program (WFP) and many others have helped people from Kilifi, Lamu and Mwigi
abandon some views that were too primitive and poverty linked.

According to Gandi 2010, different NGOs are playing essential roles for
humanitarian development through joint analysis and seeking solutions through
joint analysis and seeking solutions through different seminars and workshops,
joint social activities and application of social economic projects. I agree for the
NGOs have gone to great extents for the people and the community. They have
even introduced certain essential concepts like developing small groups, credit-
based cooperatives, mother welfare society and cooperatives foe the homeless
and the landless etc. and thus they have strengthened the root of organizational
structure for rural poverty. The NGOs have also encouraged the rural poor to
participate in different economic activities so as to increase their income through
employment generation, several policies, methods and strategies that have
attracted the attention on some foreign development experts, An example of the
projects that have taken place in 44 counties out of the 47 counties in Kenya, are
irrigation projects for landless fisheries in ponds or fishing in coastal areas,
weaving, equipment, supplies for the landless who share crops, bee keeping,
small businesses, rice and popcorn production, handicrafts like earthen wares,
wood and cane works, developing nursery. Besides they are providing training to
hundreds of men and women on vaccination and treatment of domestic animals
and poultry. Thus, they are significantly contributing to eradication of poverty by
proving the above-mentioned essentials. It has created jobs for a lot of people
and this has greatly influenced the lives of the people positively.
Figure 8

Figure 8: An NGO educating Kenyan villagers on ways to improve their lives to enable poverty reduction.

2.3 Protection of Human Rights.

Human rights are standards that recognize and protect the dignity of all human
beings. Human rights govern how an individual human being live in the society
with each other, as well as their relationship with the state and the obligations
that the states have towards them. The concept of human rights is based on the
belief that every human being is entitled to enjoy his/ her rights without
discrimination. The term human rights is used to denote a broad spectrum of
rights ranging from the right to life, right to a cultural identity to those that make
life worth living such as rights to food, education, work, health and liberty. They
involve all elementary pre-conditions for a dignified human existence. Everyone is
entitled to these rights without discrimination.

The United Nations created the International human rights law which is a
universal and internationally protected code which all nations subscribe. It lays
down the obligations of governments to act in certain ways or to refrain from
certain acts in order to promote and protect human rights and fundamental
freedoms of individual or groups. I support this for it enabled governments to put
into place domestic measures and legislation compatible with the treaties, laws,
obligations and duties put in place by the International human right law. In UNs
General Assembly in 1948 adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
(UDHR). It was the first legal document to set out the fundamental human rights
to be universally protected. If 30 articles provide the principles and build blocks or
current and further human rights conventions, treaties and other legal
instruments. Its commitment has been translated into law, in forms of treaties,
customary international law, general principles, regional agreements and
domestic law through which human rights are expressed and guaranteed. I agree
for the UDHR has inspired more than 80 international Human Rights Conventions,
domestic human rights bills and the constitutional provisions which together
constitute a comprehensive legally binding the system for the promotion and
protection of human rights. Two Covenants were developed, the International
Covenant for Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant for
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which make up the International Bill of
Rights.

Kenya is a member state to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and

Cultural Rights, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the African Charter
for People’s rights, hence they are bound by the legal obligation of the treaties.
Domestically, the Bill of rights in the Constitution of Kenya 2010. Article 19 states
that for the recognition and protection of “Human rights and fundamental
freedoms in order to preserve the dignity of individuals and communities and
promote social justice and the realization of the potential of all human rights.”
Article 27 enables equality for all which includes full and equal enjoyment of all
rights and fundamental freedoms for all, without discrimination by the state or by
individuals either directly or indirectly on any ground including age (KNHCR 2011).
I support this because it simply implies that the government has a role to ensure
that the government has a role to ensure that human standards are met. In this
sense the government should take up measures to ensure realization of the rights
of the people. Such measures can be in form of economy, education, legislation,
social reforms, financial or implementing administrative. It is desired that majority
of the Kenyans should enjoy the basic rights.

Kivutha Kibwana 1990 observes that human rights are defined by both domestic
and international law and should fully respected and observed. He notes that it is
not only governments that violate human rights and should be held accountable.
He contends that for human rights to be fully enjoyed by individuals they should
be effective and fully enforced. I agree for the enforcement of human rights
became critical in ensuring that there are effective accountability and
transparency for human rights protection. Human-right based approach on
transparency and accountability to ensure that the people are empowered and
are allowed to participate in activities that generate and encompass
implementation of human rights.

Since 2008 in the after math of the 2007/2008 elections, the United Nations
Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) was present in Kenya. It
has effectively supported prevention and accountability for human rights
violation. It played a leading role to develop a collaboration between the Kenya
National Commission on Human Rights (KNHCR) and the Kenya National Bureau of
Statistics (KNBS). The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNHCR) is an
independent National Human Rights Institution created by Article 59 If the
Constitution of Kenya 2010 and established through the KNCHR Act of Parliament
2011.

Figure 9
Figure 9: The development of the KNHCR as an independent national human rights institution.

According to Wikipedia, the main mission of the KNHCR has been to foster
human rights, democratic values and human dignity and social justice in Kenya. It
investigates and provides redress for human rights violations in Kenya, to
research and monitor the compliance of human rights norms and standards,
human rights education, training and campaigns. It monitors Government
institutions, it carries out investigations on alleged human rights violations and
provides redress to those violated (Wikipedia KNHCR 2021). I agree for KNHCR has
been an advocate for eliminations of all forms of discrimination with regard to the
rights to citizenship. It has fought for the rights and freedoms of the people and
ensured that they are being respected, and this has brought change to the
country’s positive approach to human rights and fighting human rights violation in
every way. An example is when the UNHCR partnered with the KNHCR, Haki
Centre and the Open Society Foundation conducted an assessment of the
Makonde Community in Kenya. The Makonde Community in Kenya have ben
labelled as outsiders and stateless persons. The UNHCR and the KNHCR enabled
the Makonde people who were highly discriminated because of their lack of
identity and they ensured that every person obtains a birth certificate and a
national identification card.
Figure 10

Figure 10: KNHCR calls to action the end of statelessness in Kenya.

According to the citizenship rights in Africa initiative the partnership assessment

was geared towards collecting specific and quantifiable data on all dimensions
relevant to the definition of the nationality status and prevention of statelessness.
KNHCR worked with other partners in bringing to the fore the challenges and
plight of stateless persons in Kenya. I support this initiative for the stateless
persons in Kenya did not enjoy the rights and freedoms of this country. They
could not open bank accounts, register sim cards, acquire business permits or
even more freely around the country because of their lack of identification.
KNHCR made it possible for them to acquire a birth certificate and national ID by
naturalization.

Figure 11

Figure 11: Member of the Makonde Community shows off her national identity after years of suffering without
one, which the KNHRC AND UNHCR made possible.

The intersex community have had their rights discriminated, violated and
reduced. They have been stigmatized and some of them killed after birth since
they are viewed as a curse, while others die from lack of proper medical
attention. Like in 2010, the High court found an intersex prisoner was subjected to
inhuman and degrading treatment by guards because of his condition and the
court awarded him compensation for his suffering. This became a crisis in the
country as the intersex community did not enjoy the right to life, right to proper
medical attention, right to equality and attacks on the right to personal
autonomy. Due to the inhuman and degradation treatment, the intersex specific
anti-discrimination call was promoted and the gender Minority Advocacy Trust
and a long-standing advocate for intersex rights organizations was initiated and
supported by the Kenyan law and KNHCR.

Figure 12

Figure 12: Kenya marks day of people born with two sex organs. (Intersex community)

In 2014, the African Commission Resolution on protection against violence and

other human rights violations against persons on the basis of their real and
imputed sexual orientation or gender identity. In the African Commission recalled
that the Article 2 of the African Charter prohibits discrimination of any kind. I
support this, for normalizing of the born with sex characteristics enables the
intersex community to live in peace and practice personal assistance without
being attacked and violated by the general public. The protection against
discrimination and creating awareness on the intersex community has brought
positive change to Kenyans and the Kenyan law has guaranteed the intersex
community non-discrimination in all spheres of life including in education,
healthcare, employment, sports and access to public services and address such
discrimination through relevant anti-discriminative initiatives.

2.4 Climate change.

Climate is the average weather in a given area over a longer period of time. A
description of climate includes information on e.g., the average temperature,
rainfall and sunshine in different seasons. Climate change is the long-term change
in the average weather patterns that have come to define earths local, regional
and global climate. The weather and temperature pattern shifts may be natural,
such as through variations in the solar cycle. The climate transformation is
characterized by the changes in the usual climate of the planet (regarding
temperature, precipitation and wind) that are especially caused by human
activities. Since the 1800s human activities have been the main driver of climate
change primarily due to burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas. The burning of
fossil fuels generates green house emissions that act like a blanket wrapped
around the earth, trapping the suns heat and raising temperatures. Examples of
greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change include carbon dioxide and
methane. And the consequences of climate change now include intense droughts,
water scarcity, severe fires, rising sea levels, flooding, melting polar ice,
catastrophic storms and declining biodiversity.

The United Nations is the only forum in which an agreement aimed at reducing
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Through the UN there is a full understanding
that climate change may affect the way the world operates from healthcare, aid
and water to economic activity, humanitarian assistance, peace building and
security concerns. The UN has played a vital role in building the scientific
consensus, raising the issue to the front page of the worlds media, in the tray of
head’s of state and government as well as the Chief executive offices of
businesses and industries. In 1972, the United Nations Conference on Human
Environment was created and it made the environment a pressing global issue for
the first time. The Intergovernmental Panel on climate change (IPCC) was formed
to write reports to address the physical understanding of the climate system and
climate change. The United Nations through the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) which is adopted at the “Rio Earth
Summit” in 1992 to prevent dangerous human interference with climate system,
has also been at the cutting edge of assisting in the development of creating new
carbon markets. The UNFCCC together with the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris
agreement established the institutional agreements for climate change
intergovernmental process. They have also developed countries to offset some of
their emissions through clean and renewable energy projects and certain forestry
schemes. The UN has accelerated it further by adopting the United Nations
Environmental Program (UNEP), which has helped repair the ozone layer, phase
out leaded fuel and has stopped the endangered species from going extinct. It has
provided a platform for countries to engage, act boldly and advance the global
environmental agenda. Kenya is a member of UNEP and its headquarters in
Nairobi.

Kenya aims to become a newly industrialized country by 2030, which will require
expanding climate change resilience efforts while also increasing its domestic
energy production including through the use of renewable sources. Through the
integration of climate information into the Kenyan government policies have been
important because climate is a major driving factor for most economic activities.
The Kenyan government developed the National Climate Change Response
Strategy (NCCRS) which was meant to develop a comprehensive and concerted
suite of strategies to respond to the challenges climate change is posing to
Kenya’s socioeconomic development. According to the NCCRS document 2010,
the NCCRS has identified and is strengthening sectoral adaptation and mitigation
needs, which are complimentary and consistent with existing development and
economic plans. It has enabled a joint action and collaborative development with
its stakeholders which include the private sector, the NGOs, the civil society,
religious organizations, farmers and all vulnerable groups. Some of the specific
adaptation actions include:

 Promoting orphan crops like sorghum, cassava, millet, pigeon peas, sweet
potatoes by enhancing financial and technical support through the Orphan
Crops Program.
 Breeding of animals from various agro-ecological zones that adapt well to
climatic variances, through the assistance of the Kenya Livestock Breeding
Board and other relevant institutions.
 Developing special livestock insurance schemes that will provide an
opportunity to spread and transfer climate change risks e.g., to restock
herds after decimation by starvation caused by drought.
 Setting up measures to institutionalize Early Warning Systems on droughts,
floods and disease outbreaks e.g., through the establishment of a National
Climate Change Awareness Campaign for climate change and The National
AIDS/ STD Control Program (NASCOP) for sexually transmitted diseases.

I support for the adaptation measures include prevention, tolerance or sharing of

losses, changes in land activities and restoration which are measures that prepare
the country and make the people adapt and be aware of the effects of climate
change, but through the adaptation actions and policies there are always
designed to tackle the current and future climate change threats in the country.
Kenya’s vulnerable sectors are agriculture, tourism, infrastructure and natural
resources, in which Kenya’s economy is largely dependent on and they are open
to climate change and extreme weather events. Thus, the initiatives and plans the
NCCRS is taking to secure the country from the global worrying weather situations
is a big and strategic step for Kenya. Kenya’s environmental related policies have
been in line with the international comprehensive policy in the UNFCCC’s
requirement which has made Kenya infuse international environment diplomacy
on climate change and other similar Multilateral Environmental Agreements
which has created a prosperous and climate change resilient Kenya.

Kenya is an active player in international efforts. The International response to

climate change was founded upon the United National Framework Convention on
Climate Change (UNFCCC). The Paris Agreement under the UNFCCC aims to
strengthen the global temperature rise below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-
industrial levels. Kenya’s National Determined Contribution (NDC) sets out the
country’s actions to contribute to achieving the global goal set out in the Paris
Agreement. At the domestic level a robust regulatory framework comprising of
laws, policies, plans and institutions were established at the National and County
levels to address climate change. According to the Constitution of Kenya 2010, the
foundation of institutional and legal framework for climate change action was set
in Article 10, where national values and principles of governance, such as
sustainable development, devolution of government and public participation are
mandatory when making or implementing any public policy decision including
that of climate change. Article 42 provides for the right to a clean and healthy
environment for every Kenyan, which includes the right to have the environment
protected for the benefit of present and future generations. I agree for this laws
that have been set have prioritized the importance of climate change awareness
and how legislation of policies will bring about the sustainable development at
the forefront of all climate change actions.

Kenya takes climate change seriously as demonstrated by the enactment of the

Climate Change act (Number 11 of 2016). This is the first climate change
dedicated legislation in Africa and it provides a regulatory framework for an
enhanced response to climate change. Kenya’s government then developed
National Climate Change Action Plans (NCCAP), and its main agenda being to
prescribe measures to mainstream adaptation and mitigation actions into sector
functions of National and County governments. Msafiri 2018 explains that the
government of Kenya has made substantial progress in implementing its first
NCCAP, helping the country deliver on domestic goals and international
obligations under the UNFCCC. NCCAP and the government collaborated with its
partners and took action to reduce vulnerability and build adaptive capacity, with
an emphasis on disaster reduction and humanitarian action. NCCAP identified six
priority action areas for GHG emissions and identified the quick actions required
to begin the process of meeting the long-term goals. He adds that the
development of funding proposals and improving the measurement of GHG
emissions and sinks were short term actions and they lessened the vulnerability
of the sector of climate change and reduced GHG emissions from geothermal
energy. I agree for Kenya prioritized mitigation actions that have adaptational and
sustainable development benefits. An example is from the companies generating
electricity using renewable energy such as solar, biogas and bagasse,
manufacturing solar panels and establishing pay-as-you-go solar lighting system
for households. The private sector partnered with the Kenya Association of
Manufacturers (KAM) with the ministry of energy to support energy audits and
efficiency improvements to reduce CHG emission. The cement sector also
introduced energy efficient and process improvements to their companies. The
efforts to reduce energy demand of non-renewable resources from the
households and including improved cookstoves, biogas, solar lightning that
helped reduce GHG emissions to the environment, thus reduces the rate of
climate change in the country.

2.5 Summary.
In this section we have seen the activities of multilateral diplomacy in Kenya. We
have seen on how the activities enabled multilateral agreements of Kenya with
other nations around the world and international and regional organizations to
improve the livelihood of the people in various ways. Arms proliferation, climate
change, poverty eradication and protection of human rights are some of the
multilateral diplomacy activities Kenya has engaged with to ensure that the
people of Kenya are protected and their lives improved and that the country is
involved with other countries to make the make the world a better place. This has
ensured and enabled engagement and support and also fight against the evil and
negative like poverty and abuse of human rights. The economy of Kenya has
developed from the activities and its engagement has enabled trade and attracted
tourists to the country. This activities have made Kenya a strong country and has
also strengthened multilateralism to tackle its toughest challenges and make the
world a better place.
 CHAPTER 3.
THE CHALLENGES THAT KENYA FACES IN MULTILATERAL
DIPLOMACY WITH OTHER COUNTRIES.
3.0 INTRODUCTION.
In this section, the research focuses on the challenges that Kenya faces in
multilateral diplomacy with other countries. Kenya seeks to advance in regional
and international integration, democratization, peace and security and to
accelerate in economic development. However, Kenya has faced some challenges
in the process, that have posed difficulty in multilateral agreement with other
countries. The pro-active foreign policy that are critical to Kenya’s ability to
engage effectively is also facing many domestic challenges such as poverty,
ignorance, corruption, governance and lack of sound macro-economic
engagement. These domestic challenges have not only affected it nationally but
has also affected international relations with other states, that forms a challenge
in playing an effective role and securing a place on the international stage. The
findings were based on specific objectives of the study which include the
challenge of peace and security, the lack of international cooperation and
integration and economic instability and foreign domination.

3.1 The challenge of peace and security.

Peace is a concept of societal friendship and harmony in the absence of hostility
and violence. Security is the freedom from or resilience against potential harm
caused by others. Over the years multilateral diplomacy has strived to build
international order conducive to the non-violent resolution of disputes and
expanded cooperation between states. It has conducted passages from protests
to menace, dialogue to negotiation, ultimatum to reprisal and war to peace and
reconciliation with other states. Multilateral diplomacy contributed to
international development goals on peace and security through creation of
international and regional organizations. Like the formation of the United Nations,
whose main aim is to maintain peace and security, achieve international
cooperation and be a center for harmonizing the actions of nations. The African
Union was also later formed to defend the sovereignty, territorial integrity and
independence of its member states. Kenya is a member of both organizations.
Kenya has been of great importance to the longstanding contribution to the
world’s peace keeping operations with Kenya committing to make this world a
better place through its contribution to international peace and security
operations. Kenya has played a remarkable role in search for peace negotiations
in regional countries including Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia, Uganda,
DRC, Burundi, Mozambique and Central African Republic. It has been instrumental
in multilateral peace support operations contributing over 55,000 troops and
other personnel to various peace keeping missions in around 40 countries. The
country also contributes to the training of peace keepers from different countries
at the International Peace Support Training Centre in Nairobi. Kenya has had a
long history of engagement in humanitarian assistance to refugee asylum seekers,
victims of natural disasters and pandemics in Africa like it contributed to the fight
against Ebola in West Africa by sending a significant number of health workers to
Sierra Leone and Liberia in 2015.

However, security is emerging as a defining feature of politics economic, social,

regional, national cohesion and stability. The rampant and unprecedented
domestic, transnational and international insecurity has overstretched the
peaceful and secure environment posing major challenges to Kenya’s stability.
Mohammed Guyo 2018, explains that the security dynamics have been shaped by
actors and drivers located at local and national levels. These has stretched from
cattle rustling to ethnic and religious radicalization to international and regional
terrorism. I agree for Kenya has experienced violence from issues that have been
posed by state actors and non-state actors where there have been landmarked
incidents of terrorist attacks like the 1998 US embassy attack, the 2013 Westgate
mall attack and the 2015 Garissa University College attack, killing and injuring so
many people that were at the incident. These threats have put the country at an
insecure situation not only in physical sense but also psychologically. Kenyans
cannot say that they live in a safe and secure country. Increasingly following the
widespread incidences of violence, a “siege mentality” has taken root in the
country and also to international people as they are scared to go to a country
whose insecurity and terrorist attacks have risen.

Kenya’s regional and international relations with state and non-state actors led to
cooperation between the different states. Different regional organizations were
formed to focus on conflict prevention, management and resolution, political
affairs and humanitarian affairs. Examples of the organizations are IGAD (Inter-
Governmental Authority on Developments) and the EAC (East African
Community); Kenya accommodated different states and even had an asylum
regime in the country for the asylum seekers and refugees from the neighboring
and other countries around the world. Lucy Kiama 2012 explains that in the
recent years security dynamics and management have changed during the years
for the insecurity incidents in the form of the terrorist attacks increased in various
towns in Kenya. She adds that there were several incidents in 2012, whereby the
Al-Shabaab militants crossed over to Kenya and kidnapped humanitarian workers
and carried out attacks on the members of the Kenyan security forces. These led
to a growing resentment within Kenya to ‘imported’ insecurity which has not only
been widespread in refugee camps that are also camping sites for the terrorists
but to Kenya as a whole. I concur for Kenya attracted terrorists when the
perception of Kenya’s western leaning and western interest in the western
countries like the USA which were enemies to the terrorist groups was perceived.
Kenya started leaning more towards partisans in the Israeli-Palestian conflict and
the first incident of a terrorist attack in Kenya was on the New Year’s Eve of 1980,
where Nairobi Norfolk Hotel was bombed with 20 people dead and 80 injured and
a Palestine group claimed responsibility for the attack. After the September 2001
attack in the United States by the Al Qaeda Kenya became part of the Global War
on Terror (GWR) and they did receive plenty of the military, technological and
strategic support from the US for counter terrorism and subregional security,
defense and peace initiatives. However, this attracted more terrorism
involvement in the country and when refugees were allowed entry into the
country, terrorists were among them. The Al-Shabaab that crossed into Kenya
attack both government and civilian installations and successful attacks were
carried out in different parts of Kenya. Al-Shabaab became widespread in the
country and settled in different counties and they recruited vulnerable youths
from Kenya and they trained them and they returned to attack Kenya for its foray
in Somalia. Through multilateral diplomacy and engagement, the insecurity levels
have risen and it has deeply affected Kenya in many ways, economically,
politically and even socially for it has directly affected the people of Kenya, their
businesses and trust in the government for they are not sure of the next violent
attack.

Another significant threat in world peace and security is the unchecked flow of
small arms and light weapons. Despite the fact that they are easily available and
are cheap to purchase makes it easy for belligerents to initiate conflicts. Mbugua
2007 states that the main sources of weapons are the states that are unstable in
the horn of Africa, Eastern region and Northern region that relatively consist of
Southern Sudan, Somalia, Uganda, Ethiopia etc. that find ways to transport small
arms to the country mainly through the Northern part of Kenya and take them to
different parts of the country including Nairobi city and Northern Kenya where
pastoralists use them to defend their livestock and community. I concur for most
of the unregistered weapons and arms in Kenya are smuggled into the country
from neighboring countries. Due to its cheap, easy to operate and plentiful
nature, the weapons are highly desired and sold. And the widespread availability
of small arms and weapons has fueled conflicts resulting to destruction of
property, gross violation of human rights, insecurity, creating a general state of
fear and instability. For firearms are greatly responsible for the increase of human
insecurity in Kenya. Arms race is known to be fed by the rate of insecurity in most
parts of the country. For example, in 2011 the communities in the Northern part
of Kenya which include Pokot, Turkana, Samburu, Rendille, Somalia etc.
experiences a loss of livestock and were forced to restock their herds through
raids. By the use of their small arms and modern weapons that led to extreme
violence, brutal and reckless murders.

Multilateral diplomacy has enabled good neighborliness, but it is from this

neighborliness that people engage in illegal purchases of small arms and light
weapons and use them to cause insecurity to the people. Muggah 2006 argued
that a person acquires a weapon on his own will or because of being pushed by
others. I agree for, for a common mwananchi to acquire an arm it is because of
the persons own beliefs and attitudes that are generally the social relations of a
person. This is motivated by resources and prices, and illegal small arms have
been made easy to acquire because of its low price in the market. Through
international linkages illegal arms are easily available in the black market thus
easily available for criminals, raiders and even terrorists who increase the rate of
crime and insecurity in the country which also leads to underdevelopment and
conflicts in the society. The influx of refugees, terrorism threats and attacks and
the spread of illegal small weapons and arms are clear examples that Kenya has
dealt with because of fragility in the neighboring territories.

3.2 Lack of integration and cooperation.

Integration is the act of combining two or more things so that they can work
effectively together. Cooperation is an act of working or acting together for a
common purpose or benefit. Multilateral cooperation refers to the ties and
relationships between two or ore states without discrimination involved and
multilateral cooperation is achieved when countries agree to work together and
free movement of labor and in return there are gains from the provision of global
public goods. The most important organizations engaged in multilateral
cooperation are the United Nations together with its specialized agencies and the
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Multilateral
development cooperation has several strengths as it can be conducted effectively
and efficiently in wide geographical areas and multilateral operations cover a
large number of themes. Additionally multilateral development cooperation has a
wide funding base and its impacts are good. Multilateral cooperation has offered
Kenya important channels of influence when it comes to targeting development
finance and efforts to improve its conditions for its development plans.

Kenya supports multilateral actors financially and has actively engaged in

advocacy work among them. And together with the EU, member states, Kenya
exerts political influence when decisions are made or targets of funding and on
how Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are promoted globally. Kenya
recognizes the importance of cooperation regionally, internationally and through
multilateral organizations to establish a peaceful and secure world and also to
protect, project and promote her interests and image internationally through
multilateral diplomacy. However, one of the major challenges of Kenya’s
diplomatic engagements is the lack of cooperation and integration. Multilateral
diplomacy has been brought forth by international relations with other countries
but due to the recognition of the unilateral policy at every country’s level there
have been a lot of challenges in cooperating for international growth and
development. Global issues such as envirom