Regional groups ‘threat to unity’

The cohesion commission has warned that regional groupings by politicians could be a threat to national cohesion.

“Many aspirants are dividing Kenyans at county level on ethnic, clan and class lines in pursuit of power, which is dangerous,” said Dr Halakhe Waqo, a member of the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC).

Dr Waqo said in Eldoret at the weekend that intolerance among various communities should be avoided for Kenyans to co-exist harmoniously. The commissioner said that some politicians were confusing Kenyans on devolution by claiming that counties would be “countries within Kenya”.

Constitutional Implementation Commission chairman Charles Nyachae urged women to take a leading role in ensuring the implementation of the Constitution instead of standing on the periphery and complaining.

Mr Nyachae, who also spoke in Eldoret, regretted that those who were at the forefront in voting for the Constitution were now undermining it. “If we call for a referendum today, those who voted ‘Yes’ will vote ‘No’ because they have discovered that the Constitution is very powerful and has brought back the rule of law,” said Mr Nyachae.

At the same time, civil society groups have urged the public to hold politicians accountable for inciting them during the campaigns to avert ethnic clashes in the next poll.

“The public should be more vigilant in weeding out individuals fanning tensions in the country through their reckless talk,” rights activists said in Nakuru.

The Nakuru County Civil Society Forum and Jukwaa la Katiba Steering Committee said disregard of the Leadership and Integrity Act was a grave matter for Kenyans as “people with tainted records would present themselves for election and possibly be elected into public offices, a situation that Kenyan voters must rise up against”.

Rift Valley provincial commissioner Osman Warfa warned politicians that the government will take stern action against those who preached ethnic hatred during their campaigns.

He said the indictment of Embakasi MP Ferdinand Waititu should serve as an example.

The PC was speaking at Majani Mingi in Rongai constituency during the resettlement of 400 families who had been evicted from the Mau Forest three years ago.

Reported by Ouma Wanzala, Simon Siele and Noah Cheploen