Raila Odinga must act to redeem the image ODM, a party which is becoming synonymous with violence

Violence [physical, verbal and emotional] is degrading, primitive and destructive. Yet that is what we saw over the weekend in Homa Bay when different aspirants and their supporters resorted to violence in full glare of their party leader Raila Odinga.

The violence experienced at the rally has raised concerns about potential dangers at campaign when the election period is finally here. History can be an annoying, pernicious thing. It is an open secret that Orange Democratic Movement has a history rooted in violence and demonstrations. The 2007 post-election violence was partly blamed on ODM leadership and supporters for refusing to accept the presidential results. In total over 1300 Kenyans lost their lives and the economy was shattered. Prior to the 2013 elections, during the party primaries to be precise, ODM strong holds were hit with violence as different aspirants tore in to each other and accused the party of favoritism. Again as it’s the norm property worth millions of shillings were destroyed and roads blocked.

In 2014 in attempt to carryout party elections at the Kasarani gymnasium the infamous “Men in Black” caused the ODM elections to be halted. A group of youths posing as party private security people were stationed inside the hall and blend with the delegates but took strategic positions where they swung into action and stopped the election

In the recent demonstrations against the IEBC, we still experienced some mayhem with some law-abiding citizens getting injured and greatly inconvenienced during the unrest.

Every election that ODM has contested has had incidents of violent confrontations between supporters of rival political aspirants. Is violence ODM’s political ideology? The advent of political violence as a form of mobilization is certainly not new, but the phenomenon has become particularly acute in recent years, unemployed men are paid to carouse and intimidate voters by aspirants. With a party leader who appears at times to openly condone violence; ODM is quickly gaining the notoriety of an intolerant party whose supporters are waiting to unleash violence on opponents at the available opportunity.

A crisis reveals. It challenges leaders, and exposes whether or not they have the right stuff. A good leader stands above any specific religious or political views of his own and is independent of any attachment to a specific agenda. His personal beliefs become his private matters and he learns to leave them out the door once he steps into a leadership role. In other words, his belief expands so that it includes everyone’s beliefs. Raila should therefore know that as Kenyans struggle to make ends meet, they would appreciate to be associated with a party that guarantees peaceful co-existence and accommodates opposing views thus allowing internal democracy to flourish.

It may not be too late, with a little luck thrown in, Raila can redirect the course of ODM and get rid of hooligans, bullies and those using it as a platform for violence.