Lamu County Government and Director Shee Kupi Shee have earned separate nominations in the 2026 Pan-African Local Leadership Excellence Awards for their work in community resilience and peacebuilding.
Governor Issa Timamy is expected to present Lamu’s community-based disaster and peace resilience model during a continental peer-learning programme in November 2026.
Lamu’s dual nominations highlight efforts to connect disaster preparedness, conflict prevention and support for vulnerable coastal and border communities.
Lamu County Government and its Director of Disaster Risk Management and Peace Building, Shee Kupi Shee, have earned separate nominations in the 2026 Pan-African Local Leadership Excellence Awards (PELL Africa), placing the county’s work in disaster preparedness, peacebuilding and community resilience on a continental platform.
The two entries are among three Kenyan nominations, alongside the Intergovernmental Relations Technical Committee (IGRTC). According to information communicated to nominees, the selection process attracted 615 submissions from across Africa, with 50 entries advancing.
Lamu County Government is nominated in the Solidarity and Assistance to Vulnerable Communities category, while Shee is among five nominees in the Transformative Citizen category. IGRTC features in the Ministries and Technical Departments track.
The awards programme is organised by the International Observatory of Participatory Democracy in Africa (OIDP Africa), in collaboration with the African Union Commission and United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa).
Governor Issa Timamy is expected to present Lamu’s nominated initiative during a webinar forming part of the peer-learning programme scheduled for November 2–6, 2026. The sessions will give nominees an opportunity to present their experiences and engage with the programme’s Scientific Committee.
Titled “Community-Based Disaster and Peace Resilience Model for Fragile Coastal Border Communities in Lamu County,” the county’s entry brings together disaster risk management, peacebuilding, community participation and assistance to vulnerable populations.
The model addresses the overlapping pressures facing coastal and border communities, where climate-related hazards, insecurity, displacement and threats to livelihoods can deepen vulnerability and strain peaceful coexistence.
Its approach combines prevention, preparedness, community engagement and coordination among institutions to strengthen the county’s ability to anticipate and respond to these challenges.
A central component is the Lamu County Emergency Operations Centre, established to support early warning, emergency preparedness, coordination and response. According to the county’s submission, the centre received the Averted Disaster Award in Japan in 2024 in recognition of its disaster risk management work.
The nominated experience also draws on refugee–host community integration efforts in Kiunga, highlighting the role of inclusive local engagement in supporting vulnerable populations and strengthening peaceful coexistence.
Timamy’s forthcoming presentation is expected to outline how county leadership and local institutions have connected disaster resilience and peacebuilding within governance and service delivery.
Shee’s individual nomination recognises a related but separate experience titled “From Risk to Resilience: Using Disaster Preparedness to Prevent Violent Extremism and Build Peace in Fragile Coastal and Border Communities.”
His entry focuses on connecting emergency preparedness with conflict prevention and community resilience in areas experiencing environmental, humanitarian and security pressures.
As director, Shee has contributed to initiatives involving community engagement, emergency planning, peacebuilding and coordination among public institutions and humanitarian partners.
The nomination offers an opportunity to share practical lessons on how preparedness and local cooperation can help reduce vulnerability, address tensions and support peaceful coexistence.
Although rooted in Lamu’s experience, the county and individual nominations are distinct entries, recognising an institutional model and the contribution of a practitioner in different award categories.
IGRTC’s nomination adds an intergovernmental dimension to Kenya’s representation, alongside Lamu’s work with vulnerable communities and Shee’s individual contribution.
Under the arrangements communicated to nominees, three nominees from each category will be invited to Yaoundé, Cameroon, for award celebrations scheduled for December 3, 2026.
For Lamu, the next stage provides an opportunity to present documented results, exchange lessons with other African nominees and demonstrate how locally coordinated action can strengthen resilience in communities facing multiple risks.