Raila calls for political tolerance ahead of poll

Prime Minister Raila Odinga on Monday called for political tolerance as the country heads to the next general elections.

The PM condemned political violence and asked Kenyans to tolerate divergent opinion from politicians.

“I appeal to our citizens to be particularly willing to welcome all politicians, listen to them and judge them on the basis of what they have to offer. Anything short of this makes nonsense of our struggle for political pluralism,” the PM noted.

“It negates the new Constitution that we got after a bitter struggle and kills the new Kenya we are trying to create. That new Kenya has no space for violence. We must not stand in democracy’s way, after fighting for it for more than two decades,” he said.

The PM’s remarks come in the wake of an incident in Kisumu last weekend where former Cabinet Minister Raphael Tuju's convoy was stoned by irate youths who accused him of undermining the PM.

Mr Tuju, who has announced his intention to vie for Kenya's presidency next year, was on a campaign trail in the lakeside town when his motorcade ran into a hostile crowd in Kondele. The former Rarieda MP was not hurt during the fracas.

Condemnation

The incident attracted wide condemnation from a cross section of politicians including MPs Eugene Wamalwa (Saboti), Isaac Ruto (Chepalungu) and assistant minister Mwangi Kiunjuri.

Mr Ruto cautioned youths in Nyanza province against resorting to political violence while Mr Kiunjuri called on Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere and the chairman of the National Cohesion and Integration Commission Mzalendo Kibunjia to investigate the attack on Mr Tuju.

The PM, however, did not explicitly refer to the Tuju incident in his statement.

"Since we signed the Peace Accord in the wake of the disputed 2007 election, our country has recovered its breath and made significant steps forward. That forward movement is best captured in the new political system, contained in the new Constitution we endorsed last year, and which we are in the process of implementing, " he said.

Mr Odinga said the new Constitution is itself a product of a painful struggle that was able to come to fruition only because of the persistence, tolerance and patience of Kenyans and their ability to avoid distractions and sideshows to focus on the bigger picture.

"We all know we have a critical election in 2012. In preparation for this critical date, a number of Kenyans have hit the road seeking to be elected in various positions, including that of President... I am therefore appealing to all the people of Kenya, regardless of party affiliation, to put our country forward as we embark on these political activities. I appeal to our citizens and to fellow leaders to tolerate divergent opinion and characters," said the PM.

He said Kenyan politics should feature more debate about ideology and policy instead of personality and ethnicity.