Ambassador Tecla Lorupe Joins NAESI Peace Team Ahead of 2027 Elections

By Maurice Momanyi

Legendary athlete and peace ambassador Tecla Lorupe, through the Tecla Lorupe Foundation, has joined the National Elections Support Initiative (NAESI) team as a Peace Partner and Champion in a fresh push to promote peace and social cohesion ahead of the 2027 General Elections.

The partnership follows an engagement between Lorupe and the leadership of the National Federation of PBOs of Kenya and NAESI, where discussions focused on strengthening dialogue, community participation, youth involvement, sports for peace and collaboration among civil society organisations, elders and other stakeholders.

According to the Federation’s National Chair and Coordinator, Stephen K. Cheboi, the partnership will help strengthen peacebuilding initiatives, particularly in conflict prone areas, while creating platforms for communities to address disputes through dialogue and mutual understanding. Lorupe, a renowned peace campaigner and former world marathon champion, has used peace races to promote reconciliation among communities in Turkana, West Pokot and neighbouring countries, including Uganda, South Sudan and Ethiopia.

Her sports based peacebuilding model is expected to complement NAESI’s National Peace Caravan 2026-2027, which is scheduled to cover all 47 counties from October 17, 2026.

The Federation said its members will work with the Tecla Lorupe Foundation on community driven peace initiatives, with a joint programme of Peace Races and Peace Walks expected to be unveiled soon.

The initiative will promote the message, “Elections Come and Go, Kenya Remains,” as stakeholders seek to encourage peaceful coexistence and unity before, during and after the 2027 elections.

Cheboi welcomed Lorupe to the NAESI team, saying the partnership would strengthen efforts to make peace a priority across the country.