It takes a million people to build a good reputation for a nation, strikingly one bad decision can destroy what has been nurtured by the same magnitude of people.
Kenyans are not new to the effects of divisive politics and violence. Pre and post electioneering periods have many a times occasioned violence, destruction of property, investments, ethnic profiling of communities and loss of lives.
These memories and the unhealed scars are still fresh in the minds of a sizeable population, with an existing gap challenge among the youths that appears not to have either fully witnessed or felt the aftermath of election violence and previous ethnic clashes in the history of Kenya.
The youthful generation has been and continues to be the conduit through which politicians take advantage to utilise for self-gain and end game agenda. They mobilise and fund youths to unleash terror and violence.
Double standards by leaders and inflexible approach to address challenges facing the country and its citizens, is a ruinous precedent. The sad effects of the disputed 2007 general election and its subsequent post-election crisis resulted in huge socioeconomic and political setbacks that should not be comfortably obliterated.
A lot of unnecessary killings, massive looting, raping, displacements, gross human right violations were witnessed, aggravating the nation's stability and kept potential investors at bay.
The current impasse between the government and the opposition is poisonous as witnessed throughout the ongoing unpeaceful demonstrations in various parts of the country. We are barely a year old since the last general election, yet the country appears to be in a campaign mood with political temperatures soaring.
The utterances and dangerous machinations from the political class are catalysing the demonstrations and fast planting seeds of tribalism, hatred, violence, economic repression and deaths.
Evidently,citizens are experiencing the pain of inflation and the high cost of living, a phenomenon that appears to be global. Though demonstrations serve as a fundamental democratic right for citizens to voice their grievances and advocate for change, the economic repercussions should not be overlooked. Resorting to unpeaceful demonstrations is not a solution.
Notably, the country is losing an estimated Sh3 billion daily due to ongoing protests. The loss of such a substantial amount of money daily has far-reaching consequences for the nation’s economy and citizens. The loss of revenue directly affects the governments' ability to provide essential services and invest in critical sectors such as education, infrastructure and healthcare. Kenya remains a dependable regional hub to many African countries and an injury to it is a damage to all.
The lawmakers have a constitutional mandate of representation, legislation and oversight. Electorate's trust, believe and look upon them for direction and guidance if they advance messages of peace, unity and cohesion. The citizens also outrightly follow if they advance messages of animosity, tribalism and violence, diehards and followers equally adopt and put into exercise.
Let there be a balance between the protagonists and antagonists of the demonstrations that respect the right to protest while minimising the economic fallout. National unity and cohesion should take precedence with an open-minded approach that is fostering dialogue, negotiation and peaceful means of expression to ensure grievances are heard without compromising the nation’s social, economic and political stability.
Article 244 of the Constitution requires the National Police Service to, amongst others, comply with the constitutional standards of human rights and fundamental freedoms. Extrajudicial killings by police have remained largely unaddressed.
The law enforcers should only use lethal force as a last resort, which has not been the case in most scenarios. Let the youths and Kenyans refrain from provoking security agencies to the levels of pressing them to exert extra force.
Youths should shun political misuse that propel them to form or join militia groups to cause chaos. Let Kenyans positively utilise social media platforms to advocate for peace and unity rather than spread fake news, propaganda and incitement bound to widen rifts whilst tainting the image of Kenya at the global level.
Founder, Integrated Development Network
