Concerns about the integrity of elections have emerged following incidents of runaway violence that engulfed Thursday’s by-elections across several of the 22 electoral units that headed to the polls.
Goons meted horror on perceived opponents with reckless abandon causing bodily harm to victims and damage to property. In Malava, a vehicle was torched when leaders allied to the government and those allied to the United Opposition met.
Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Secretary General Edwin Sifuna criticised the security agencies for failing to secure voters terming today’s exercise as the “bloodiest election” in Kenya’s democratic history.
“All the violence being witnessed across the Country from Kabuchai to Malava to Kasipul point either to incompetence in the security command or their outright involvement in planning and executing it,” he said.
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Similar sentiments were made by Siaya Governor James Orengo who warned the state against inaction on election violence that erodes gains made in the fight to strengthen democracy in the country.
“We can’t be first world if,years after Constitution 2010,we can’t hold peaceful and fair elections,” Orengo warned.He added: “The militarization and ‘goonification’ of elections is an evil worse than ‘mlolongo’.”
Experts had billed the contests as a dress rehearsal for the 2027 general election making them a must-win for both the government and opposition camps.
According to Jubilee Party Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni, the chaos witnessed in the mini polls were a precursor of what could go wrong in 2027 and demanded for culprits to be held accountable.
He further questioned the silence of both the security agencies and IEBC saying that it points to complicity.
“Is this the blueprint the government is preparing for 2027? Today’s by-elections are a clear rehearsal for what lies ahead. Someone must be held accountable,” he said.
Speaking during a spot check visit of Kasipul on Wednesday, November 26, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen confirmed receipt of intelligence reports that pointed to violence but assured voters of their security.
Additionally, IEBC warned candidates against violations of the electoral code of conduct which attracts dire consequences such as disqualification.
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Concerns about the integrity of elections have emerged following incidents of runaway violence that engulfed Thursday’s by-elections across several of the 22 electoral units that headed to the polls.
Goons meted horror on perceived opponents with reckless abandon causing bodily harm to victims and damage to property. In Malava, a vehicle was torched when leaders allied to the government and those allied to the United Opposition met.
Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Secretary General Edwin Sifuna criticised the security agencies for failing to secure voters terming today’s exercise as the “bloodiest election” in Kenya’s democratic history.
“
All the violence being witnessed across the Country from Kabuchai to Malava to Kasipul point either to incompetence in the security command or their outright involvement in planning and executing it,” he said.
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Similar sentiments were made by Siaya Governor James Orengo who warned the state against inaction on election violence that erodes gains made in the fight to strengthen democracy in the country.
“We can’t be first world if,years after Constitution 2010,we can’t hold peaceful and fair elections,” Orengo warned.
He added: “The militarization and ‘goonification’ of elections is an evil worse than ‘mlolongo’.”
Experts had billed the contests as a dress rehearsal for the 2027 general election making them a must-win for both the government and opposition camps.
According to Jubilee Party Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni, the chaos witnessed in the mini polls were a precursor of what could go wrong in 2027 and demanded for culprits to be held accountable.
He further questioned the silence of both the security agencies and IEBC saying that it points to complicity.
“Is this the blueprint the government is preparing for 2027? Today’s by-elections are a clear rehearsal for what lies ahead. Someone must be held accountable,” he said.
Speaking during a spot check visit of Kasipul on Wednesday, November 26, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen confirmed receipt of intelligence reports that pointed to violence but assured voters of their security.
Additionally, IEBC warned candidates against violations of the electoral code of conduct which attracts dire consequences such as disqualification.
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By Denis Omondi