[Kisumu residents rioting after the August presidential election results announcement. The residents should desist from such demonstrations. Photo/Nation]
Immediately after the announcement of the winner of the August presidential election results, opposition strongholds were plunged into violent demonstrations. Among the areas affected was Kisumu county where both lives and property were lost and destroyed respectively. The residents engaged police in running battles that were characterized by stone throwing and torching of kiosks and other properties.
And after successfully petitioning a case against President Uhuru Kenyatta's reelection win, NASA leaders called on the vacation from office of some of IEBC commissioners. And to that, NASA leaders called on their supporters to come out and engage in anti-IEBC demonstrations to facilitate the commissioners leaving office.
But why must Kisumu residents involve violence in any of the demonstrations they have?
On Monday, the country witnessed demonstrations in NASA strongholds. In Kisumu, the situation was not any better. They engaged police in violent running battles that involved stone throwing and lighting fires at the middle of the roads. They also barricaded roads affecting normal activities of the day.
The violent demonstrations forced most businesses to remain closed for fear of property being looted and destroyed. The political stalemate is already affecting the economy and most businesses are not making positive returns. With the fear of violence erupting after the October presidential election, most investors have also kept away from Kisumu with a reference to what happened after the 2007 general elections.
Kisumu residents should borrow a leaf from their Mombasa counterparts who peacefully held their anti-IEBC demonstrations. With their continued violent demonstrations, Kisumu residents stand to lose jobs, income, valuable properties, peace among other vital necessities. Kisumu is a major town in the country and with such loses, the area will experience slow growth and its residents will continue living in poverty.
NASA leaders should come out and advise their Kisumu supporters and talk them out of violent demonstrations. In fact, they should sort other means of dealing with IEBC issues. Life cannot revolve around politics every time. Other aspects of life matter too.