Anglican Archbishop Jackson Ole Sapit has warned that Kenya risks political instability and is gradually turning into Haiti.
According to Ole Sapit, the immature campaigns being held ahead of the 2027 General election are disrupting the country.
“IEBC being the referee and given the mandate to officiate the dates that the campaign should kick off, they should come forward to stop the early campaigns,” Ole Sapit stated.
Ole Sapit called for the IEBC to perform its duties in regulating the campaigns in accordance with the law.
Additionally, he asked the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to begin early vetting of candidates.
The vetting process will help ensure that candidates possess good conduct and are fit to rule the citizens rightfully.
Ole Sapit expressed his concerns over the rising number of cases of violence and attacks by goons.
To Ole Sapit, the use of goons is a new trend that has not been experienced before in the country.
He also stated that the goons are hired by different political parties to serve the interests of the party and cause commotion.
“The Country is headed in a bad place, especially during political arrangements and rallies, we are experiencing a new culture of political parties hiring goons,” Ole Sapit said.
Ole Sapit cautioned that the goons being paid to cause commotion will continue to commit violence even after the elections.
In addition, Ole Sapit drew a close relationship between Kenya and Haiti; he stated that Haiti had done the same before the issue aggravated.
“Haiti, where our Kenyan officers are working on maintaining peace and stability, those trained by political movements became a challenge to the Country,” Ole Sapit added.
Haiti’s instability required that other countries take part to help restore the stability, and the same thing might happen in Kenya, according to Ole Sapit.
Also Read: Ole Sapit Takes a Stand on Extending Ruto’s Term
IEBC Role in Campaigns and Elections
Candidates who are vying for various positions must align their efforts with the official electoral schedule.
In Kenya, election dates are typically set by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), and the year before, stringent electoral laws, including nomination and party primary deadlines, mark the election.
IEBC, however, has limited control over stopping early campaigns held by politicians nationwide. The law does not give the commission any power to stop early campaigns.
IEBC can control the campaign three months before the election, which is the official campaign period.
Also Read: Ole Sapit Calls Out Ruto, Issues Demands
Election Observers’ Alarm Over Election Violence.
The Election Observers Group expressed concern over the growing violence and goonism in the preparation for the 2027 election.
Chairman of the Constitutional Implementation Oversight Committee (CIOC), Caroli Omondi, requested that a campaign financing law and the attendant regulations be in place.
He also requested an audit of the voters’ register to ensure that there are no future misunderstandings.
Additionally, he warned that the early campaigns are against the law and deny citizens economic development.
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