By Nyang’au Araka
The Vote Peace Consortium has condemned the outbreak of political violence in Kuresoi, Nakuru County, warning that rising tensions across the country could undermine Kenya’s democratic gains ahead of the 2027 General Election.
In a statement issued following clashes between rival political factions recently, the consortium said three people were injured and 56 others arrested during the unrest, and called for swift investigations into those responsible.
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“The incident in Kuresoi is yet another reminder of the growing use of violence as a political tool,” the consortium said, urging authorities to conduct thorough and impartial investigations into allegations linking senior political actors to the violence.
The organisation warned that Nakuru County remains a politically sensitive region because of its history of election-related violence, particularly during the 2007-08 post-election crisis, when parts of the Rift Valley witnessed some of the country’s worst clashes.
“We cannot stand by and watch Kenya’s hard-won democratic space degenerate into a theatre of violence, fear, intimidation and lawlessness,” the statement said.
The consortium linked the Kuresoi incident to a broader pattern of political unrest reported in recent months, including the assault of a senator in Kisumu, disruptions of political meetings in Kikuyu and Kisii, confrontations between politicians at public gatherings, and rising ethnic tensions along the Mwingi-Garissa border.
According to the group, such incidents threaten public safety and could erode confidence in the country’s democratic process if left unchecked.
The consortium also expressed concern over what it described as premature political campaigns, arguing that the country is already experiencing heightened political polarisation more than a year before the official election period.
“Kenyans elected their leaders to serve for five years by delivering development, public service and solutions to the country’s pressing challenges – and not to plunge the nation into perpetual political contestation,” it said.
The group called on the National Police Service, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and other agencies to investigate not only those who carried out acts of violence but also individuals accused of organising, financing, transporting or inciting perpetrators.
It further urged the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC), the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) and the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties to take action against hate speech, incitement and political violence.
“As the August 2027 General Election approaches, we call upon all leaders, institutions, political parties, communities and citizens to reject violence and commit themselves to peaceful, lawful and issue-based democratic engagement,” the consortium said.
The Vote Peace Consortium brings together faith-based organisations, civil society groups, media, academia and private-sector actors working to promote peaceful elections and democratic governance in Kenya.
