Growing signs of political intolerance

A few days ago, the country was treated to a rare and most unexpected attack on Hon Raila Odinga and Taita Taveta Governor Hon Salim Muvrya at a rally in Kwale. The purpose of the rally was to drum up support for the CORD-led referendum process.

Following the attack, it was variously reported that a middle aged man, who in fact appeared haggard, emerged from the crowd at the Kwale rally and hit both Hon Odinga and Governor Muvrya with a walking stick. He was subsequently overpowered and disarmed.

Through the media conflicting reasons were advanced for his action. In one media report, it was said that the man got worked up because he had missed out on handouts allegedly dished out to the people at the rally. There were no such handouts. Another media report stated that the man was mentally unstable while another report said he was fed up with the calls for a referendum. There was yet another one that suggested the man was disappointment that his wife was dancing with the dignitaries. But no one pointed out his wife from the various troupes of traditional dancers at the rally.

At last the truth has emerged; a Jubilee Senator hired the man to commit the heinous act. Confessions have come forth from the man’s accomplices that he was given a down payment of Sh30,000 to do the dirty job. This revelation is not only shocking, actionable but also shows how low some politicians can sink in their display of intolerance.

A few weeks before the Kwale incident, cases of political intolerance had been reported in other parts of the country. In Nandi County, a referendum supporter from the county government was attacked and injured. There was also public display of intolerance exhibited by Senator Duale when he verbally attacked Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto at a rally in Narok on account of the governor’s position on the referendum.

Several such cases of intolerance are being exhibited by officials of the Jubilee coalition as the referendum campaign gathers steam. It is worth noting that the pro-referendum supporters, including Hon Odinga and Governors Isaac Ruto and Mvurya, have full constitutional and legal rights to associate with likeminded people and robustly express their views on the referendum. The Bill of Rights is explicit on these matters.

But one reason why the attack on Hon Odinga needs to be taken seriously is that this is not the first kind of such attacks organised by those in power. During the single party era, Rev Timothy Njoya was bludgeoned by hired thugs near Parliament. This was at the height of political intolerance. Some top guns in government then felt challenged by the public awareness campaign that was associated with Rev Njoya and others. However, the beastly attacks on Rev Njoya did not stop change that people were pushing for.

Similarly, then Safina party activist Dr Richard Leakey was whipped by hired goons in Nakuru when his party visited the Rift Valley town to popularise their political agenda. Leakey had by then been singled out as a target of vilification among the Safina luminary because he was deemed by the system to be a darling of the West. Just as in the Njoya case, the barbaric acts of intimidation only served to re-energise the push for registration of Safina as a political party. Eventually, the government bowed to public pressure and registered the party. Dr Leakey went ahead to become Safina’s founding Secretary General.

It would appear that the Jubilee Government is determined to revive systematic political intolerance and undemocratic practices of the past. Accordingly, the Jubilee Government needs to be reminded that the clamour for a referendum by the people cannot be stopped by any undemocratic means whatsoever. There is no doubt that the referendum will take place and the popular view of the Kenyan majority will triumph.