Francis ole Kaparo's report on poll chaos dismissed

National Cohesion and Integration Commission Chairman Francis ole Kaparo

Leaders have accused the cohesion commission of publishing poorly researched reports on violence.

County Commissioner Hassan Abdi and Governor Jackson Mandago dismissed the recent National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) report that states Uasin Gishu is among 18 counties likely to be elections violence hotspots in 2017. 

“We have been in close contact with residents and so much has been done about reconciliation and cohesion in this county since the 2008 post-poll chaos. The peaceful 2013 General Election process is proof enough that this region is peaceful and not at risk of chaos related to voting,” said Hassan.

According to Hassan, Uasin Gishu, a cosmopolitan county that was affected by the 2007 elections violence, has taken huge strides in ensuring all residents embrace each other irrespective of tribe, religion and political violence and should be fairly credited.

“We are still very peaceful as we have done quite a lot to reconcile the residents. Report by NCIC is false and we are yet to find out where they got it from. I am warning those with ill intentions of planning chaos in one way or another that the law will not be lenient with them,” he stated.

Mandago questioned where the Francis ole Kaparo-led commission got the statistics highlighting Uasin Gishu as a volatile area from, saying the report is blind to the milestones achieved by the local leadership and the residents to maintain peace.

The report by released last week by the commission listed Nairobi, Kisumu, Mombasa, Nakuru, Uasin Gishu, Narok, Kericho, Kisii, Homabay, Isiolo, Turkana, Bungoma, Kiambu, Kilifi, Lamu, Migori, Baringo and West Pokot as problematic counties that require close monitoring to avert instability during next year’s elections.

“Kaparo and his team need to verify the facts they get on the ground by liaising with credible authorities established by the government and genuine civil society organisations. They should not rely on briefcase NGOs that spark unrest in order to make their operations relevant,” said Mandago.