Violence must not define our elections

Homabay Town MP Peter Kaluma attacked at Agoro Sare primary school polling station in Kasipul Constituency, Homabay County. [Sammy Omingo, Standard]

The violence witnessed during the recent campaigns and by-elections across the country is a shameful betrayal of Kenya’s democratic aspirations. What should have been a peaceful exercise in choosing leaders turned into scenes of chaos, fear and lawlessness.

From Kasipul, Magarini to Malava, and even in Mbeere North where elected leaders attempted to force their way into polling stations after voting hours, the country was treated to a distressing display of political intolerance and blatant disregard for electoral integrity.

The attacks in Kasipul, where Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma and his bodyguard were assaulted, and where weapons, vehicles and motorbikes were seized, mark a dark moment in our political culture.

The torching of DAP-K leader Eugene Wamalwa’s vehicle in Malava, the assault on candidate Seth Panyako and his employees, and the brazen theft of a police firearm all underline the dangerous level of impunity emboldening political actors and their hired gangs. 

These are not isolated incidents; they represent a pattern of orchestrated intimidation that undermines public confidence in elections. In Mbeere North, the sight of leaders attempting to storm polling stations past the legal voting time was equally disturbing.

Such actions not only violate electoral procedures but also provoke unnecessary tension, forcing security officers into clashes that could easily have been avoided.

This behaviour from individuals entrusted with leadership sets a terrible example and erodes the very principles they claim to defend. These violent acts had predictable consequences: low voter turnout, frightened communities and a diminished democratic process. 

Citizens who set out to perform their civic duty should never be met with clubs, guns or political thuggery. Elections are the heartbeat of democracy, and when voters feel unsafe, the legitimacy of the entire process is compromised. The responsibility now lies with authorities to ensure that those behind the violence are swiftly identified and held accountable. 

Arrests and impounding vehicles are only the first steps; justice must be thorough and impartial. Political parties must also take responsibility for the behaviour of their supporters and candidates. Violence cannot continue to be normalised as a strategy for winning elections.

Kenya has come a long way in building a democratic state, but moments like these threaten to drag the nation backwards. The right to vote is sacred and must be safeguarded. As the country reflects on the violence that marred these by-elections, one thing must be made clear: democracy is weakened not by the ballot, but by the brutality of those who fear its outcome.

The time for impunity is over. Kenya must reaffirm that leadership is earned through ideas not intimidation.