A group of elders drawn from various communities living in Uasin Gishu has refuted a recent report that listed the county as among the highest risk of experiencing election-related violence.
The report by the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) named Uasin Gishu alongside Nairobi, Nakuru, Kericho, Kisumu, and Mombasa as high risk in the potential for violence ahead of the August 9 poll.
While addressing the media at the Uasin Gishu county headquarters in Eldoret town, the elders’ representatives of various communities in the cosmopolitan county said the county was peaceful.
They noted that they have been partnering with the county leadership on various avenues of peace building and coexistence amongst all the communities.
Edwin Chepsiror, representing the Myot council of elders, and John Kamau representing the Agikuyu community led their fellow elders to call on the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) to review their position in the county.
They assured that there will be enough peace during and after the polls as witnessed in the previous years.
The listing of Uasin Gishu as a violence high-risk county has seen political leaders hit out at the NCIC.
Speaking during Madaraka Day celebrations at Huruma Grounds, Uasin Gishu Deputy Governor claimed the report was being pushed by individuals out to get funding – in the name of monitoring the high-risk counties.
“I was shocked when I saw NCIC list us as a hotspot,” Chemno said.
“It looks like there are people who want to get money, and the only way is for them to say these, and these regions are hotspots so that they have a budget for monitoring them,” he added.
Similar sentiments were shared by Uasin Gishu County Woman Member of Parliament Gladys Boss Shollei.
“Uasin Gishu is not a hotspot and those predictions that there might be violence is untrue,” Shollei said.
Uasin Gishu was among the counties that were affected by the 2007/08 post-election violence but over the years, there have been efforts to enhance peace and cohesion among the communities.
The county has been among the most tolerant since then, with little or no incidences of violence during the 2013 and 2017 general elections.
Also Read:
