Nairobi,KENYA:The Independent Electoral Boundaries Commission IEBC has reiterated that it is no longer a toothless bulldog citing that it would take legal action against flouters of the Kenyan electoral laws.
Chairman Ezra Chiloba during a high level meeting on Monday organized by the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry KNCCI in Nairobi, added that the commission has noticed the sprouting of newer hot spot areas during this electioneering period.
“Urban areas are quickly replacing rural areas as danger zones where violence might erupt. Tension is now between haves and have-nots. We are putting hate mongers on notice and they will account for every inciting utterance made. Campaign narratives should be clean and not instill fear among Kenyans,” he remarked.
Mr. Chiloba also said that in some parts of the country, politics is fast shifting from lines of ethnicity and being trivialized to ‘clanism’; an issue that could widen the rift among Kenyans.
He stated the importance of tertiary institutions of higher learning like universities in spreading the message of peace, stating that incidences of hate speech are rife among university students.
“We have mapped the hotspots and there should be a prayer for this country as we head to the ballot box on August 8th . Peace must prevail to ensure a peaceful business environment,” said Nelson Makanda, Deputy Secretary General, National Council of Churches in Kenya.
During the high level forum on sustainable peace, KNNCI National Chairman Kiprono Kittony, added that the desire for peace is in the heart of every Kenyan.
“The quest for peace before, during and after elections is the desire of the business community who bear the brunt of election,” concluded Kittony.
