Government and Religious Leaders should take Eviction Threats very seriously

*Dominic Nkoyoyo

Many Kenyans from different ethnic groups, who were evicted from their homes in the post election and ethnic violence that rocked the country in 2007-2008, two years later, are still living in camps and dehumanizing conditions.

Unfortunately several politicians in the NO Camp are again speaking loud and clear that if the YES Camp wins the 4th August referendum for the Proposed Constitution, they are going to evict people from their homes. Anybody from any Camp and from any corner of the country planting seeds of hate and inciting people to violence should be arrested immediately and face the law.

The government and Religious leaders should take the eviction threats uttered by some politicians at public gatherings very seriously, for there are clear indications that we are again on the path to bloodshed and untold misery. These threats are a wake-up call to the government to make urgent arrangements so that it is in position and ready to contain any violence out-breaks in the country.

The government should use every good and justifiable means at its disposal to prevent and to contain violence. Religious leaders on their part should confront members of their congregations engaged in hate speech and inciting people to violence and pastorally help them to stop doing so. They should also organize special Radio and Television programmes for this special time of the referendum to preach tolerance and brotherly love. And to remind God’s people that violence begets violence. And therefore it is not good for anything or for anybody! Instead it destroys the very heart of the one from whom it springs.

A lot of attention should be give to places prone to ethnic violence especially the Rift Valley Province. The 2007/8 violence was too big for the Kenyan Police to contain especially in this very Province! And to make matters worse, they had no vehicles to reach in time where the violence was!

Violence in towns can easily be contained than that in remote and hilly regions with very bad roads. For there is always police presence in the towns and the roads are not so bad. And yet it is in these remote areas that the worst violence happens. By the time Police reaches there it already too late! People’s houses are already burnt down and some are already killed. This I experienced personally in Kipkelion which was hit worst in the 2007/8 ethnic violence. When Police had vehicles, they had no fuel! So the big question at this critical point is: «Should violence erupt in remote areas on or after August 4th is the Kenyan government without external help able to contain it?

*Dominic Nkoyoyo is a Monk at the Monastery Val Notre-Dame, Canada.

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this section do not represent the opinions of CISA.