Former Head of Public Service and Secretary to the Cabinet Francis Muthaura was yesterday appointed to head a panel of eminent persons to champion dialogue, peace and manage post-election matters.

National Commission for Integration and Cohesion (NCIC) yesterday announced the names of a team of 15 eminent persons to be charged with preaching peace and dialogue after today’s general elections.

NCIC chairperson Samuel Kobia said in a statement that the 15 individuals will be tasked with facilitating dialogue and mediation between disputing parties, so as to reduce hostilities.

Others in the panel include Justice (Rtd) Joyce Aluoch as the Co-convener, Anglican Archbishop Dr Jackson ole Sapit (Faith leader), Archbishop Philip Anyolo (Faith leader), Archbishop Anthony Muheria (Faith leader), Bishop Emeritus Stephen Kewasis, Dr Samuel Kobia and Chancellor Robert Mutula.

Others are  Lt Gen (Rtd) Daniel Opande, Lt Gen (Rtd) Lazarus Sumbeiywo, Dr. Vimal Shah, Nerima Wako, Fatuma Abdikadir and Sheikh Hamad Kassim. Kobia will act as ex-officio member.

The team is expected  to foster locally led solutions to political disputes, facilitating communications between disputing parties as well as managing expectations of both the winners and losers of the elections.

It will also be required to establish the facts of the disputes arising, understand the interests, positions and motives of conflicting and facilitating negotiations and mobilise the political class, their supporters, institutions and Kenyans in general to respect and uphold the rule of law.

The panel will be required to facilitate dialogue and mediation between disputing parties to reduce hostilities and ensure that the political transition is not turbulent while promoting consensus building.

Further, the team will be expected to foster locally led solutions to political disputes to avert polarisation along ethnic, religious and ideological lines which if unresolved are likely to increase and reinforce political dysfunction and gridlock and heightened risks of political instability.

“The panel will lead mediation of politically related conflict at the local, regional and national levels with strategies informed by the local contexts,” read the statement.

The team will also be expected to mobilize the political class, their supporters, institutions and Kenyans to respect and uphold the rule of law and diffuse political tension.