Kenya ranked among least peaceful states

A new global survey has ranked Kenya among the top 40 countries that are least peaceful, a move that looks set to erode the country’s standing as an investment destination.

The survey by the Institute for Economics and Peace, an Australian non-profit research firm, indicated that Kenya was this year ranked 113 among 144 countries that were surveyed.

The report could drive away potential investors returning to Kenya after last year’s post-election chaos which shut down most businesses in key towns across the country. The same survey ranked Kenya 91 in 2007 and 119 in 2008.

This comes at a time when a number of initiatives including the launch of Brand Kenya, a state corporation charged with building the country’s image, have been put in place to woo investors.

But the new report by the Australian economists could water down these efforts.

Diamond rich Botswana has been ranked as the most peaceful country in Africa followed by Malawi which scored highly after carrying out a peaceful presidential election recently.

Most serene
According to the global survey New Zealand is the most peaceful country in the world. Other countries that are said to be peaceful in Africa include Gabon, Ghana, Mozambique, Zambia and Tanzania.

The report which ranks Kenya the lowest amongst the traditional three East African states uses 23 indicators to determine the existence or absence of peace, key among them being hostility to foreigners or private property, political instability, respect for human rights, military capability, potential for terrorist attacks and perceptions of criminality in society and relations with neighbouring states.

But a local organization Peace and Development Network dismissed the parameters as inadequate to judge a country’s levels of peace.

“The parameters to use when judging a country’s level of peace should include the existence of mechanisms for resolving conflicts within a state, because every country has its own internal conflicts, ” said Philip Onguje, the programme officer in charge of human security at Peace and Development Network.

Kenya is at a crossroads following post-election violence early last year in which more than 1,000 people were killed with several others displaced from their property.