Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has urged Kenyans to maintain peace ahead of the August polls.
Speaking in Nyamira on Saturday, February 26, the Interior CS appealed to Kenyans not to be incited to violence.
Matiang'i urged Nyamira, Bomet and Narok counties, that have previously encountered conflicts, to be ambassadors of peace.
“For those who know our history, we experienced violent conflicts from the 1970s with relentless frequency. We thank God because in the past ten years there have been no major clashes, save for pockets of squabbling,” he said.
The CS spoke during interdenominational prayers for peaceful co-existence between communities of the three counties.
He hailed the church-state partnership in fostering peaceful coexistence and in stamping out crime and social vices from communities.
Matiang'i attributed the reduced conflicts to peace efforts by the state and religious leaders.
The CS said the partnership has reduced historic conflicts and led to a near-elimination of the once endemic cattle rustling menace.
Matiang'i reminded religious leaders of their crucial roles in fostering peace.
He appealed to them to guide their followers in resisting incitement to political violence and hatred.
“We have children we are raising and we need to show them a good example in the manner in which we conduct ourselves. This is the time for us to live as a family and ensure our country remains united. Elections come and go.” the CS said.
Matiang’i assured Kenyans that the government is reinforcing border police posts in the counties’ to guarantee the safety of all Kenyans.
“The instruction to our security agencies is to ensure the maintenance of the highest levels of peace and tranquillity and ensure our people are safe throughout the electoral cycle,” he added.
He also directed the county commissioners to work closely with religious leaders in ensuring peace prevails throughout the entire election period.
