Governor Jackson Mandago has asked organizations profiling Uasin Gishu County as among violence hot spot zones ahead of the 2022 general election to stop the stereotype for the sake of building and upholding the tranquil achieved thus far.
Mandago’s sentiments come days after he made a declaration that all organizations seeking to undertake ‘peace meetings’ within the county must seek consent from his office and or the County Commissioner’s.
“We have built peace that we are keen that it lasts. It has reached a point where persons referring us as a hotspot to stop it. We also want to make it clear that we will give our all to ensure our cohesion lasts,” the county boss said on Friday.
Earlier this week, Mandago claimed that a section of peace actors was out to incite locals ahead of the polls – while disguising themselves as peace actors.
He directed that no ‘peace meetings’ will be allowed to go on within the county unless his office and that of the County Commissioner are involved.
Mandago singled out recent National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) meetings held in several parts of Eldoret with several stakeholders among them youths and Civil Society groups as some of the activities raising concerns.
“This is a cosmopolitan county and we have enjoyed peace all along. This tranquil we shall jealously ensure that it lasts and even gets better. This is why we shall not take any chances, anyone who holds a meeting of peace should work with either my office or the county commissioner’s,” Mandago directed during an event in Moi’s Bridge.
NCIC had in February this year said it had mapped out five major towns as possible hotspots for violence during the 2022 election campaigns period.
They named Nairobi, Kisumu, Eldoret, Mombasa, and Nakuru as the towns and said the commission was monitoring the areas closely.
