Election violence? Not again

By Njoki Karuoya

Last week, I lost hope that the March 4 elections would be peaceful. With all the main presidential candidates working hard to be seen as national by appointing running mates from different communities, I was confident that a repeat of the 2008 post-election violence would not occur. But now I’m not so sure.

While the violence that seems set to rock the country in six weeks time may not be tribal-based but more about individual winners and losers, the scary fact is that violence will be a reality; and it may be worse than what we saw last weekend.

Bloated pool

I’m I being pessimistic? Perhaps, but imagine this. The post-primary violence was at the level of aspirants, and a bloated pool at that, which means hope more than guarantee, carried the day. Now there are all these candidates carrying around nomination certificates that declare them as bona fide party representatives for various seats, who believe they are the one.

And in the next six weeks, that ego will get so bloated that it will not be contained within the confines of a ballot box. So can you now imagine the explosions when their opponents are declared winners?

If the police want to ensure a more level-headed, violent reaction (if there is anything like that) after the pronouncement of winners, they need to, between now and then, disarm all Kenyans off pangas, jembes, tyres, matches, petrol and other inflammable and blunt objects. These are often the tools of violent. If they can manage this too, they need to force all Kenyans to attend anger-management crash courses that will also include lessons on the importance of peace, including peaceful protests.

Most importantly, the police will need to increase their bullets (hopefully the rubber bullets), tear gas and other riot-control weapons.

Abducted

But seeing as all these may be a tall order for the police, I’m worried for all those innocents who may be at the right place at the wrong time, and accidentally find themselves in the middle of abrupt violence. The victims of such mayhem are often women and children. When such violence erupts, women walking around are grabbed and gang raped. Children are abducted or killed.

And yes, it may be easy to tell people to lock themselves in their houses right from the evening of March 4 (after the voting exercise) till Sunday, March 10 when, hopefully, the final results will have been announced and any violent rages following such announcements have run out of steam. But we all know that violence tends to find people in the perceived safety of their homes.

Five years ago, when some people went out of their houses to protest the controversial presidential elections, many stayed at home. Others ran to places of ‘safety’ like churches, police stations and the chief’s camp. But the bloodthirsty killers went after them. People were killed in their homes, either by the rioters or by the police. Others were killed in church, while women were raped everywhere.

Accept loss

This is not the life I want for myself or for any Kenyan. I want us to live in peace, irrespective of other people’s opinion – because that is what elections are all about; providing individuals with the opportunity to exercise their opinion. The majority of Kenyans with the same opinion carry the day. That’s just the way it is. If you and those thinking like you lose, it’s simply because not as many people thought the same way.

Maturity is the skill to painfully accept your loss, find reasonable ways to vent your frustration then move along. Violence is never the answer as it costs more than acceptance, what with the collateral damage and loss of property and livelihoods.

Just how mature are we as Kenyans? That will be the major test as we get closer to March 4. Let us choose peace and tolerance instead of war and intolerance.

I wish all candidates the best, but as they campaign, they must realise that those nomination certificates they hold are not the tickets to success. They could lose come March 4, too, and they need to act as gentlemen and ladies when the proof is presented to them; and as leaders by calming their supporters down to peace instead of inciting them to violent protests.