Atwoli urges Ruto to ban political rallies over rising tensions

Cotu Secretary General Francis Atwoli addresses a press briefing in Nairobi. [Wilberforce Okwiri, Standard]

Cotu Secretary General Francis Atwoli has appealed to President William Ruto to ban political rallies, warning that rising intolerance could destabilise the country ahead of the 2027 General Election. 

Addressing a press briefing, at his Kajiado home, Atwoli said Kenya was witnessing a worrying trend of political agitation and disorder far too early in the electoral cycle.

He warned that the growing culture of political intolerance and hostility at public gatherings undermines national cohesion and risks triggering ethnic or sectional conflict. 

 "I would urge the head of state as a grantor of peace and stability to come out and ban all these rallies," he said, and urged lawmakers to support the proposal.  

"Because if we start out like this, there will be no tolerance. People will not tolerate one another. And this might lead to either sectional, political or tribal clashes," he added.

The Cotu boss cited the chaos witnessed in Kikuyu on Saturday during the United Opposition's rally, and the attack on Vihiga Senator Godffrey Osotsi in Kisumu, describing the events as a precursor to serious confrontations if left unchecked.

He said campaigns begun nearly 17 months before the elections, contrary to regulations set by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), which mandates official timelines for electioneering.

"You want to tell me that the President as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces he cannot be able to stop any clashes that are occurring?" Posed Atwoli.

"What is happening in Kikuyu is now clashes. People are fighting. You want him to sit at the State House and see people butchering one another?" 

"He has that leeway to tell Kenyans please stop," he said. 

Atwoli warned that the country’s workforce and economy were already under pressure, with families preparing for the reopening of schools and businesses striving to recover.

"We have our children who are almost going back to school. We have working men and women across the country," he said. 

"We have to take care of our economy. We have to take care of our farming and so on. And if we start like this, there will be a big disruption in the daily activities of Kenyans and the government must come out and stamp this out," he said.

Atwoli also took issue with the involvement of some senior civil servants in political mobilisation, saying that their participation compromises public trust and fuels division.