Crown Paints launches campaign to promote peace

Initiative is urging various Kenyan communities to co-exist harmoniously  

Crown Paints today launched a campaign dubbed ‘Crown Paints Uniting Colours Peace Campaign’ which is seeking to encourage Kenyans and various communities to live peacefully as the country gears up for the upcoming General Elections.

The campaign, launched in Nairobi’s Kibera area, will mainly involve disseminating peace messages through various media channels including billboards, print and electronic advertising and social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook. Kenyans can participate in the campaign by sending peace messages to each other.

Speaking during the launch of the campaign at Kibera’s Undugu Football Grounds, Crown Paints CEO Rakesh Rao said the company was committed to playing its role as a responsible citizen hence its support for the campaign.

“The Crown Paints Peace Campaign aims to foster harmony among Kenyans. As a company, we are aware of the role that each one of us has to play in promoting peace and harmony among Kenyans. At Crown we have over 6000 shades of colour that blend seamlessly and believe that the 42 tribes of Kenya can co-exist peacefully,” said Rao.

He said his company chose to launch the peace campaign in Kibera because the area was one of the worst-hit during the post-election violence in 2008.

“Kibera people suffered a lot after the last election. Yet Kibera is a cosmopolitan area, the face of Kenya, so to speak. It therefore serves as a good model for promoting inter-community peace and harmony. But we are optimistic the upcoming elections will be peaceful,” said Rao. 

Crown Paints has partnered with Amani Arts, Amani Heart, an organization promoting peace through creative arts. The organization has been working with schools in Kibera to preach peace. Crown Paints is providing paint and brush materials to support the initiative. The firm has put side Ksh10 million to support the campaign.   

During the launch event, guests and children drawn from ten schools in Kibera took part in painting peace messages on a specially-designated wall within Undugu Football Grounds. The wall-painting activity was symbolic of the role of every individual in promoting peace and unity at community level.