Check 'hustlers' before it's too late, Kanu men warn

 

Kanu officials have said unless the "so-called hustler movement" of Deputy President William Ruto is checked, Kenya will suffer serious youth incitement.

Officials and allies of Baringo Senator Gideon Moi said on Saturday in Eldoret there are increasing threats and intimidation against some of them for supposedly not supporting DP  Ruto.

The alleged intimidation is mostly cited in Rift Valley.

Paul Kibet, Kanu's regional coordinator in the North Rift, singled out the hustler movement associated with Ruto, saying it's inciting young men against Ruto's perceived rivals.

“Now we have groups of youth allied to some politicians going round to threaten those whom they perceive to be opposed to some politicians and that is unacceptable in a democratic country like Kenya," Kibet said.

He was with Kanu officials David Chepsiror and Stephen Maswai from Nandi County.

The officials and allies have urged the government to closely monitor political activities and meetings around the country to end an upsurge in incitement and hate speech ahead of the 2022 General Elections.

Kibet said the government should ensure politicians are civilised, don't incite youth and "balkanise" the country.

Chepsiror said all Kenyans should be allowed to freely exercise their political activities so long as everything is legal and peaceful.

“No one should be forced to support another. We all have to enjoy freedom of expression as provided in the Constitution," he said.

They want the National Cohesion and Integration Commission to either play its role or be disbanded, calling the commission "toothless" and "asleep on the job". 

Separately civil society groups have also urged President Uhuru Kenyatta to stop ongoing dangerous political trends characterised by hate speech and hooliganism.

Officials from the civil society groups led by Kipkoir Ngetich from the Centre for Human Rights and Democracy said President Kenyatta should not watch as members of his own Jubilee house and other politicians incite youth to engage in violence.

“There are politicians who are busy trying to incite a civil coup against the President by inciting the youth and its time Uhuru should act to restore order in the country," Ngetich said.

He urged DP Ruto and his allies to respect the President or quit if they cannot serve under the head of state.

“The DP is now openly opposing the President who is his boss and that is not proper. He should quit and go full blast in opposition politics instead of sabotaging the same government he is supposed to serve," Ngetich said.