Kenya’s opposition leader Raila Odinga has lashed out at the politicians who used police to cause violence during by-elections in Juja and Bonchari constituencies.
In a statement on Wednesday morning, the AU envoy castigated unnamed senior government officials for using their positions to abuse power.
He said an election is a process where people exercise their will at the ballot and not an avenue to pursue imaginary and short-legged political interests.
The ODM party leader termed what was witnessed during the by-elections as an “arrogant display of impunity by a few overzealous and bellicose government functionaries.”
“What we have witnessed in the by-elections in Bonchari and Juja is an abuse of police powers and an arrogant display of IMPUNITY by a few overzealous and bellicose government functionaries,” the ODM leader Tweeted. “Security forces exist to serve the people and not the interests of those out to conduct political experiments,” said Odinga.
He warned the politicians propagating violence against using the Handshake as an excuse to erode hard-won liberties.
“The peaceful coexistence must not be taken for granted by some rogue elements wanting to confuse the handshake for an excuse to erode our hard-earned liberties,” he added.
Kenya’s electoral agency stopped tallying votes at the Juja constituency after violence broke out. A section of politicians was screened exchanging insults and blows.
ODM and UDA politicians had complained of harassment and intimidation in Bonchari.
©Standard Gazette, 2021. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s publisher is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Standard Gazette with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.