Government warns of stern action over political violence

The government has warned that people involved in political violence will be arrested and charged in the courts of law.

Addressing journalists Tuesday at KICC in Nairobi, government spokesperson Eric Kiraithe said the violence witnessed in Bungoma during Deputy President William Ruto's tour is criminal.

He said such violence violates the Constitution, specifically Article 38 that stipulates the rights to a free and fair election.

“Every citizen has a right to join, campaign and vote for a political party of their choice without intimidation,” said Mr Kiraithe.

Mr Kiraithe said such incidents should be avoided ahead of the August elections.

“This type of behaviour is setting the stage for a very precarious situation once we go to the main campaign and actually negating the principals of a free, fair and democratic process which we aspire to, come August this year," he said.

He also condemned the incident in Kayole on Sunday in which a police officer was shot and injured during a rally.

“There was an incident on January 22 where a police officer was injured as he tried to apprehend somebody the conveners of that meeting had complained about in Kayole, Nairobi, and earlier on in Meru, we had heard murmurs of supporters of a political party destroying billboards of other political parties,” he said.

On Monday, the Deputy President and his entourage faced hostility from rowdy youths in Bungoma town as he toured the county to encourage locals to register as voters in the ongoing listing exercise.

The youths, who were chanting pro-opposition slogans, blocked the main bus terminus in the border town and set ablaze Jubilee-branded T-shirts at around 3pm.