• Cheruiyot claimed that officers from Kisumu were harassing traders from Kericho at Sondu market.
• He also questioned why the Kisumu government was collecting revenue at Sondu market.
Image: MAURICE ALAL
The National Cohesion and Integration Commission is investigating Kericho Senator Aron Cheruiyot's recent remarks about the Sondu town border dispute.
The senator said that Sondu market belongs to Kericho county, not Kisumu.
Commissioners Philip Okundi and Dorcas Kedogo said NCIC, in collaboration with other government agencies, is probing the incident for appropriate action.
Okundi said the commission will forward its findings to DPP Noordin Haji for action.
“We have reached out to Kisumu Governor Anyang' Nyong’o and his Kericho counterpart Paul Chepkwony and they are aware of the matter,” he said.
Okundi said the governors are committed to unity and peaceful coexistence among neighbouring communities.
They spoke on Wednesday during a national youth workshop on culture, heritage and cohesion at Tom Mboya Labour College in Kisumu.
The workshop was aimed at sensitising youths to embrace unity, culture and keep off violence, especially during elections.
Last week, Cheruiyot said that officers from Kisumu were harassing traders from Kericho at Sondu market.
He also questioned why the Kisumu government was collecting revenue at Sondu market.
The senator alleged that Sondu town is 90 per cent in Kericho.
He said they have reached out to the relevant government authorities over the dispute.
Cheruiyot gave Kisumu and Kericho 14 days to resolve the Sondu town border dispute.
On the 2022 General Election, Okundi urged politicians and residents to desist from remarks that are likely to incite Kenyans against each other.
“We are appealing to our leaders and Kenyans to learn to solve their disputes amicably. Kenya belongs to all of us and when it burns, we all burn in it,” he said.
Kedogo said the commission is monitoring those propagating hate speech.
“We will be dealing with individuals who propagate hate speech,” Kedogo said.
Okundi said the commission has developed a roadmap to ensure peaceful polls in the country next year.
He said six factors have been identified as major contributors to violence during elections.
They include lack of trust, where the 2013 Social Cohesion Index established that the level of trust among communities is very low.
Another is the subculture of violence, which has become a common means of expressing opposition and dissent on most issues in the country.
Other factors include divisive and selfish politics, ethnic polarisation, untimely and inadequate response to conflict and structural inequalities.
The commission, Okundi said, has adopted five transformative strategies to address the already identified roadblocks to having peaceful elections.
He cited building trust among communities by opening communication channels within and between communities, and building trust between citizens and government.
Okundi said they target to sensitise and facilitate politicians in patriotic leadership to be peace ambassadors.