Stop ethnic intimidation this election year

Kenyans at a past political rally (Photo: Courtesy)

No matter what the provocation is, the least Kenyans expect from politicians this election year is restraint. Yet from recent events, it seems politicians give little care to what could happen to the country as a consequence of their unfortunate public utterances.

Leader of majority in parliament Aden Duale is reported to have threatened members of a certain community resident in Garissa in a video that has been leaked on social media.

Duale is not your ordinary politician given his ranking in the political hierarchy and his utterances, even though he denies them, cannot be taken lightly. The political temperature has already gone a notch higher and this raises serious concerns.

The swift action by the police in calling on him to record a statement and the commitment by the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) to investigate and take immediate action are commendable. It remains to be seen whether decisive action will be taken against Duale beyond the promised action by NCIC and the recording of a statement with the police.

Other politicians across the political divide have in the recent past been accused of incitement and because all they got was a slap on the wrist, other warmongers are getting encouraged, and that is a tragedy in waiting.