Culture of political violence must stop

The violence that disrupted the nomination of ODM’s senatorial candidate for Homa Bay County on Monday must be strongly condemned and the perpetrators and their sponsors made to pay for their abhorrent behaviour.

Not only does it disenfranchise the voters of their right to pick a leader of their choice, it adds to a chain of events that gives the party a tag of violence and intolerance.

In February, the party’s national elections in Kasarani, Nairobi, were ruthlessly disrupted by a gang, yet no action was taken against the perpetrators. An investigation that was commissioned by the party’s leadership never saw the light of day.

A few weeks ago, the party’s executive director, Joseph Magerer, was ejected from office by unruly youths, again working at the behest of some benefactors. Despite being captured on camera, nothing was done to punish them.

CULTURE OF INTIMIDATION

Add to the mayhem at Homa Bay and the party leadership cannot extricate itself from blame. This trend is breeding a culture of intimidation, ruthlessness, and disregard for the rule of law.

Paradoxically, the party styles itself as a democratic outfit that is committed to social justice and constitutionalism. That is why it calls itself the Orange Democratic Movement. It does not make any sense for the party leadership to turn around and ask for an extension of the nomination deadline when its members flagrantly flout electoral rules and undermine democratic processes.

A more fundamental problem is that the conduct of members is denying the party legitimacy. A party that is associated with violence cannot be entrusted with the instruments of government.

This is why its leadership must crack the whip and restore the party’s credibility. All those behind the chaos must be punished to end this culture of political violence.