NAIROBI, Kenya, May 31 – The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) has listed Nairobi, Mombasa, and Kisumu as high-risk counties for potential election-related violence.
According to the commission’s Technical Committee chairman Danvas Makori, other counties on the list include Nakuru, Uasin Gishu, and Kericho.
Makori explained that there is a lot of hate speech across the country which he describes as a trigger for violence.
According to the Conflict Hotspot Mapping for Kenya report, Nairobi County is ranked high risk at 79.85 per cent followed by Nakuru at 75.77and Kericho at 74.81 percent.
“Nairobi County is seen as the epicenter of political contestation in Kenya,” Makori said while breaking down the report.
Other Counties with a high risk of experiencing electoral violence include Kisumu (72.46 per cent), Uasin Gishu (72.25 per cent) and Mombasa (71.15 per cent).
Makori said that of the remaining 41 counties, 10 counties including Narok, Marsabit, Laikipia, Lamu, Baringo, Isiolo, Meru, Nandi, Samburu and Bomet depict a medium high-risk Kenya Electoral Violence Index-County (KEVI-C) while 23 counties depict a medium low-risk vulnerability in terms of electoral violence.
The report further ranked 8 counties including Kajiado, Kitui, Tharaka Nithi, Taita Taveta, Busia, Makueni, Nyandarua, and Embu, depict a low-risk vulnerability to electoral violence.
Embu county emerged the lowest vulnerable county to experiencing electoral violence.
He noted that the county’s Electoral Violence Index is at 53.4 per cent.
Makori said that they used qualitative data in their study to make sure the data is accurate noting that they focused on three issues- Potential triggers, Weak Institutional Capacities and Pre-existing Conflict Factors.
While commenting on the report, NCIC Chairman Samuel Kobia said that only cooperation between different stakeholders will guarantee peaceful elections on August 9.
Kobia stated that the launch of the report was timely noting that it will act as a tool to ensure there is peace in the country before, during and after elections.
“We have put in place structures to ensure we move services closer to the people even as we assure Kenyans that we shall conduct regular and continuous nationwide civic education on cohesion and peaceful coexistence ahead of elections,” Kobia stated.
He called on NPS to minimize the use of excessive force while strictly adhering to the code of conduct including maintaining impartiality while undertaking their mandate.
Kobia further stated that if the government continues to deal with issues in the hotspots, the country will have peaceful elections noting that there is hope.
“I would like to affirm that the country is safe. Knowing and seeing the progress made we don’t have to be so alarmed and on the other hand, we don’t have to drop the guard,” he said.
He further recommended the enhancement of electoral agencies to ensure the integrity of elections and urged the public to embrace full participation in the electoral process, desist from participating in hate speech and embrace alternative systems of handling disputes.
He called on the media to play a leading role to ensure they disseminate accurate information to the public which he said will help counter the spread of fake news.
“We encourage the media to exercise conflict-sensitive communications and reporting, conduct citizen empowerment and civic education, package and disseminate information to relevant stakeholders dealing with elections take up strict adherence to the code of conduct and media guidelines,” Kobia stated.
Present at the event was IPOA Chairperson Anne Makori, Anne Nderitu, CEO ORPP, UN Resident Coordinator Stephen Jackson, a representative from Sweden Embassy in Kenya, Annika Otterstedt, and representatives from the National Police Service.
