The peaceful political rallies held by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and
the Linda Mwanachi team in Trans Nzoia and Bungoma over the weekend offer an
important lesson for Kenya's democracy.
They demonstrated that political meetings do not have to end in chaos, destruction or bloodshed. When leaders are allowed to freely engage citizens without interference, politics can flourish in a peaceful and mature environment.
For long, violence at political rallies has often stemmed not from ordinary wananchi but from unnecessary state interference or the deployment of goons by political rivals to disrupt meetings. Such actions undermine constitutional freedoms, fuel tension and deny citizens the opportunity to listen to different viewpoints in order to make informed political choices.
The government has a constitutional obligation to provide security equally to all political players, regardless of party affiliation. Police should be deployed to protect gatherings and not to break them. Equally, political competitors must resist the temptation to sponsor violence or intimidation.
Kenya's democracy is strengthened when ideas compete instead of fists and stones.
The peaceful scenes witnessed in western Kenya should become the norm rather than the exception. As the country inches closer to the next general election, all players should embrace tolerance, respect and issue-based politics. That is the surest path to peaceful, credible and inclusive elections.
