Silence drums of war to ensure peaceful elections
Paul Amina
With ruling political party Jubilee in shreds, the Legislature divided, religious groups compromised and new political alliances proliferating, peace cannot be guaranteed in a country often gripped in fear of violence and property destruction during elections, more so now with a transition looming.
Renewed ethnic rivalry and name calling in premature presidential campaigns are dress rehearsals for the worst that could escalate and spill into the election in August.
Fierce opposition and frivolous amendments to the Political Parties Bill is one of the numerous examples of rehearsed catalysts to a polarised situation in which supremacy wars and numerical strength in the House between the President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto played out.
For nearly four years, Ruto and his allies have openly criticised Uhuru for accommodating “strangers” in the ruling party.
The stranger in this case is the ODM leader Raila Odinga, the runner up in the disputed 2017 presidential election nullified by the Supreme Court.
Uhuru and Raila have since reconciled but Ruto and his supporters would see and hear none of that.
The Handshake, according to Ruto, was not a peace overture but a ploy to lock him out of the succession race by the sponsoring party, Jubilee.
Consequently, Ruto abandoned Jubilee and sought refuge in the new outfit known as the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) where he has been criticising the government.
The Deputy President would not dare throw barbs at the President under the old Constitution.
Ruto owes his political survival to the immunity cover provided in the 2010 Constitution whose enactment he strongly opposed in a referendum.
The political temperature is at a fever pitch and it is safe to conclude that behind most of the election campaign chaos, lurk political leaders and aspirants in whose payroll are goons retained to unleash terror and fear on rivals.
That explains why many women shun competitive politics. Cognisant of that fact, political parties should be compelled to account for the behaviour of their supporters.
Notwithstanding toxic language and derogatory references, peaceful election campaign is possible.
Reference should be made to the Moi succession in 2002 when a song composed by Gidi Gidi Maji Maji group, Unbwogable (unshakable) neutralised fanatics and chauvinists of the time. Chaos was thwarted.
Under the circumstances, the peace gospel to the electorate is a must and the handshake partners should do everything within their power to ensure that days leading to the transition are peaceful.
The expertise and talent of the stage actors, comedians, musicians, sports people and cartoonists should not be ignored if goons are to be tamed.
Already, Kenya’s international soccer star Dennis Oliech has expressed desire to lead soccer players in spreading the peace message ahead of the elections. — The writer is a journalist and comments on topical political issues
