Stop stoking the embers of violence by heckling at rallies

With three recent incidences of heckling and violence involving the supporters of the two main presidential candidates, Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga, the country is walking down a dangerous path.

The cat-calls and stone-throwing in Kisumu, Baringo and Thika suggest that intolerance and contempt among party supporters is growing. And if there is no de-escalaction, then Kenyans must begin to contemplate another round of vicious blood-letting during the post-election period.

And this is why all presidential candidates must come out strongly and direct their supporters to put to an end the retaliatory jibes directed at their rivals. Like the National Super Alliance (NASA) presidential candidate Raila noted in his message to party supporters, hecklers have not right to impede rival aspirants from selling their agenda to potential voters.

The right to assemble and expression is sacrosanct. And that is why they are part of the Bill of Rights codified in our Constitution. But for everyone to enjoy these rights, sometimes law enforcement agencies will have to intervene — such as they did during the violent episode in Thika where they attempted to repel rowdy mobs from stoning Raila’s motorcade.

But the police must go further.

They must arrest and charge individuals who seem singularly determined to disrupt political rallies and cause violence. But if the police look as helpless as they did during some of the incidences of violence that were witnessed in party strongholds, then the risk of civilians taking matters into their own hands will be higher.

To de-escalate the tensions, let us put an end to the kind of provocation that has been witnessed in the last few days. If we do not, the retaliatory attacks will increase and there is no saying how far the fighting could go as we head towards another divisive General Election. But even as politicians preach messages of peace, the police must act tough on perpetrators of violence.