Tom Macheneri, Kisumu County Deputy Commissioner speaking during a Stakeholders Consultative Peace Forum for peace in Kisumu on Thursday. [Photo: hivisasa.com]
A set of regulative guidelines have been drafted and agreed upon by a section of Kisumu County officials as ground rules to be used before, during and after the forthcoming general elections.
This took place at the Huduma Center Hall in Kisumu town, Thursday morning during a Stakeholders Consultative Peace Forum.
The event was graced by Kisumu County Deputy Commissioner, Tom Macheneri, Kisumu East County Deputy Commissioner, Josephine Ouko, political aspirants, County Security Officials, Members from the National Peace and Steering Committee, representatives from the business community among other stakeholders.
The following were the resolutions of the peace meeting:
1. No political aspirant will use hooligans to propagate their political agenda. The politicians are also expected not to attend their opponent’s rallies as this could yield into violent confrontations.
2. As long as electoral results are pronounced as credible and accurate, Politicians together with their supporters must accept them and desist from unlawful demonstrations.
3. There will be debates organized to serve as a forum for the politicians to sell their policies to the electorate. This will also be the only chance where political opponents with their supporters will be allowed to convene in the same gathering for campaign purposes.
4. Male aspirants and the public are to respect female aspirants. They must not interfere with their campaigns or even inflict emotional or physical injury to them.
5. All stakeholders which include women, youth and persons with disability must be involved by the politicians during formulation of polices.
6. The media in Kisumu is expected to report accurately and impartially on political matters and shun from any kind of incitement that could snowball into violence.
7. The police are expected to provide maximum security to both male and female aspirants eyeing elective political seats.
8. Female politicians were also eligible to possess a firearm legally issued by the government as there was a notion that female aspirants were not allowed to possess firearms.
The Kisumu County Deputy Commissioner clarified the matter saying that all aspirants in need of a gun should contact their respective OCPD for instructions.
“If the team finds that you have serious security vulnerabilities, you will be issued with a firearm,” said Macheneri