Why Igembe region in Meru has been hit by campaign chaos

Igembe North and Igembe South constituencies are on police radar due to rampant violence during political rallies.

Meru County Commissioner Fred Ndunga said two politicians from the region have been identified for sponsoring chaos.

A political rally in parts of Igembe in Meru is mostly characterised by chaotic shouting matches, heckling, dance and song that are crowned by occasional physical confrontations.

The chaos is meant to deny rivals a chance to sell their agenda while enabling a politician to advance the narrative that they are the most popular.

In Igembe South, the heated confrontations have been witnessed among supporters of the incumbent JohnPaul Mwirigi, independent candidate Jack Smart Kiriinya and Jubilee’s Mwenda Mzalendo.

In Igembe North, the battle has been between supporters of the incumbent Maore Maoka and United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidate Julius Taitumu.

On Wednesday, a Kenya Kwanza political rally in Mutuati, Igembe North, led by Deputy President William Ruto’s running mate Rigathi Gachagua ended unceremoniously after rival camps started fighting.

Mr Taitumu, the UDA candidate in Igembe North, said the use of goons to disrupt meetings has occurred several times and there was a need to address the cause.

“There has been a lot of barbarism in Igembe North during political campaigns. No one should be allowed to balkanise Igembe North. We will ensure the suspects and perpetrators face the law,” Mr Taitumu said.

During a recent meeting attended by Agriculture CS Peter Munya at the Maua Polytechnic in Igembe South, police had to move in to separate two rival groups aligned to Mr Mwirigi and Mr Jack Smart.

The meeting, meant to launch the issuing of title deeds, was turned into a shouting match and occasional running battles as police tried to restore calm.

Mr Mwirigi, the Igembe South MP, had a hard time addressing the meeting as supporters of Mr Smart sang and heckled to drown the MP’s voice.

Mr Patrick Ratanya, a resident of Igembe South, blamed the confrontational political meetings on the availability of many idle young people.

He said many young people had been rendered jobless by the loss of the miraa market and have turned to political meetings to earn money for bread.

“We have politicians who believe that they can only be popular by using goons for hire. Some candidates for the parliamentary seat hire youths to sing for them and engage in shouting matches to silence their opponents,” Mr Ratanya said.

Mr Samuel Itonga, a resident of Maua, said the political meetings turn chaotic because groups of young people are hired to silence opponents.

“Shouting down opponents is a common strategy among politicians here. They use their ardent followers or paid groups to sing and shout at the top of their voice when the opponent is speaking. This leads to a confrontation as the rival group seeks to defend their own,” Mr Itonga said.

Mr Ndunga, the county commissioner, said police intended to take action against the leaders before dealing with those used to mete out violence.

“Mutuati and Maua are pockets of political violence. There have been two incidents of violence during meetings in Mutuati in the recent past. We have summoned and warned the politicians who are known to sponsor violence," he said.

"The incidents cannot happen without the leaders’ blessings. If they do not stop, we will have to advise the electoral commission.”

Nine suspects were being investigated over violence witnessed at the Kenya Kwanza meeting in Mutuati, he said.

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