The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) has marked six Counties that are likely to experience violence after the August polls.
According to the report seen by KDRTV the six counties include Nairobi, Nakuru, Kericho, Kisumu, Uasin Gishu and Mombasa.
“Six counties recorded an inflated vulnerability for electoral violence in the upcoming General Elections. The major impending threat being pre-existing conflicts around issues of inequalities in the distribution of resources, high population density in informal settlements and infiltration of organised criminal gangs and groups,” the report says.
NCIC did a hotspot mapping to establish an awareness of the peace and security situation in the country in order to inform programming for the prevention of electoral violence prior to the General Elections of 2022.
The months preceding and following elections have been the most violent in Kenya’s history since independence.
During the 2007 elections, at least 1,200 people were killed and an estimated 600,000 were displaced. According to the research, the national election violence index for Kenya is 53.43 percent.
According to the analysis, 10 counties are at a moderate-to-high risk for electoral violence in the next elections, while 31 are expected to experience calm elections.
The ten counties are Bomet, Samburu, Nandi, Meru, Isiolo, Baringo, Lamu, Marsabit, and Narok.
The report highlights the emergence and re-emergence of organized criminal gangs, particularly adolescent groups, gangs, goons, and militia.
In addition, it asserts that drug and substance misuse are widespread and could be a cause for election violence.
It also indicates that there is an increase in the use of hate speech, propaganda, and political rhetoric in public areas and on social media platforms, which is a significant cause of election violence.
Also Read: William Ruto Opens up About Cause of 2007 Election Violence
