Former Public Service Cabinet Secretary and the Chama Cha Kazi Party leader, Moses Kuria, has warned the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) against tolerating insecurity in the ongoing campaigns ahead of the upcoming by-elections this week.
In a press briefing on Saturday, November 22, Kuria said that he had already discussed the matter with some senior election officials to ensure that security in these areas is reinforced, especially for leaders spearheading campaigns, to avert chaos.
Kuria warned that if not controlled, chaos in these elections might actually ruin the country's reputation in the international community, which is closely monitoring the situation.
"Just the other day, someone said that Gachagua should not come here, and I told IEBC to catch those people, and I put pressure and ensured that those people were summoned by the DCI, because I said that if Gachagua is touched, I'm also touched because there can be no integrity in the election if one person is the one to decide," Kuria said.
"I was here in 2007, and I saw what Kenya went through, and I can't keep quiet because my heart has no peace. If you look in Narok, Mbeere North, and other areas, there is widespread insecurity. I want to ask President William Ruto directly, the international community is watching," he added.
Kuria has further warned leaders vying for the positions from trying to engage in election malpractice, stressing that "Kenya's level of tolerance is at its lowest."
"I know most of the people think that we can go the Tanzanian way, but Kenyans are not Tanzanians; it will not be business as usual. Let no leader think of stealing the votes," Kuria said.
The warning comes a day after Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya narrowly escaped an attack in Chwele Kabuchai Ward while campaigning for independent MCA candidate Erick Wekesa on Saturday, November 22.
Confirming the attack, Natembeya’s Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K) directly blamed the confrontations on goons allegedly linked to National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula, whose Ford Kenya party supports Vincent Maunda, a rival candidate.
In a statement on X, the party urged the IEBC and the National Police Service (NPS) to act, warning that silence could escalate political unrest.
"Governor Natembeya and a host of leaders were today attacked while campaigning for Erick Wekesa in Kabuchai Ward by goons associated with Speaker Wetang’ula," the party stated.
Moses Kuria is among the top political figures, including the former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, who have set camp in Mbeere North to rally residents to vote for their candidates in the upcoming by-election for the Mbeere North Parliamentary seat, which is happening on November 27.
Kuria is campaigning in the area for Ireri Mbui, Gachagua is drumming up support for the United Opposition candidate, Newton Karish, while Kindiki is campaigning for Leonard Muthede under the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Party.
