Protestors set up fire on the road in past anti-IEBC demos. [Photo/Nancy Okutah]
Although Raila Odinga’s call for anti-IEBC protests has largely been a failure, there is one crucial lesson he can learn from the isolated demonstrations in his strongholds. The planned demos, meant to forcefully remove IEBC CEO Ezra Chiloba and at least 10 other commission officials, have badly affected businesses in areas that support the ODM leader, especially Luo Nyanza. But the death of his one of his supporters on the streets of Siaya on Monday should wake Raila from the deep sleep he seems to be in. The NASA presidential candidate should spare his supporters deaths and destruction of property, by ending the protests and focus on facing President Uhuru Kenyatta on the ballot later this month for repeat polls. Having lost by more than 1.4 million votes in the August general election, he has a lot of catching up to do. The street battles with the police, which he has so far avoided himself, are only hurting the people who have always supported him. If Raila truly cares about the welfare of voters, he needs to stop the street madness. Otherwise, more people will die and property will be destroyed. With just more than three weeks to the election, the NASA team needs to learn from President Kenyatta and hit the campaign trail. Elections are won at the ballot and not at press conferences in Nairobi.