Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi speaking in Kakamega on May 20, 2025 / OPCSPrime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has warned politicians inciting Kenyans to violence ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Mudavadi said Kenya has come a long way in every electoral cycle, and leaders who are out to divide the country must be called out and condemned.
He said the recent utterances by a section of leaders in comparison of the 2027 elections to the 2007 elections are uncalled for.
“We must preach peace as leaders. Nobody wants a repeat of what we witnessed in the 2007/2008 post-election violence. Leaders should stop threatening the country and its people with that narrative, and we should not even be contemplating going that route again,” he said.
“I was involved in restoring peace in Kenya within the Serena talks arrangement under the then UN Secretary General Koffi Annan, Madam Graca Machel, and former Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa back in 2007/2008 when Kenya was in turmoil.”
Mudavadi said they spent 42 days negotiating for peace, and President William Ruto, then in ODM, was present.
“Now that someone who has had the privilege of rising up to the position of Deputy President can want to take the country back to that episode, it is completely out of line and out of order.”
Mudavadi has reiterated the government's firm stance on maintaining peace and promoting respectful political engagement by embracing the politics of decency.
He said Kenya is a democratic country, and any leader is free to seek any political seat without necessarily infringing the rights and freedoms enshrined in the constitution and under the laws of the land.
“Don’t seek votes by threatening people. Seek votes by selling your policies to the people. Uza sera zako na uwache kutisha watu,” he remarked.
“The people of Malava, you have a by-election coming when the dates are announced; don’t vote in a joker, what we are facing now in some parts of the country is because we did not take our civic duty seriously when choosing leaders. Especially the young people, I urge you to reflect and take your civic duty seriously.”
Kakamega County Deputy Governor Ayub Savula, who was present at the burial of Mzee William Lumati, urged the government to deal firmly with leaders engaging in incitement, without regard to their political stature or affiliation.
“You’re not untouchable as a leader to begin inciting Kenyans based on your selfish interests. The government should get you arrested and be charged, we don’t want our country to go back to what we witnessed in 2007/2008.
