This archive report was first published on 30 June 2019.
As Kenya approaches the 2022 elections, the country is witnessing a resurgence of juvenile politics, where politicians are engaging in petty squabbles and threats, rather than focusing on the development agenda.
On June 30, 2019, a letter purportedly written by a Cabinet secretary was leaked, accusing some Cabinet secretaries and government officials of plotting the assassination of the Deputy President.
The letter sparked a wave of counter-accusations and explanations, which only served to cheapen the allegations and add a political twist to the saga.
However, what is truly alarming is the trivialisation of assassination talk in Kenya. In the past, such talk was considered a serious matter, and was often carried out in secrecy.
But now, it seems that elimination by assassination has become a legitimate political tool in the country. This is a worrying trend, and one that must be addressed.
As Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Dean of Moi University School of Medicine, Lukoye Atwoli, notes, the trivialisation of assassination talk is a sign of a deeper problem in Kenyan society.
It suggests that the life of an ordinary Kenyan is so cheap that any death is unremarkable, and that the country is heading towards a future where government officials will routinely threaten citizens with death.
This is a bleak outlook, and one that must be challenged. Kenya must find a way to move beyond petty politics and focus on the development agenda, rather than engaging in juvenile behavior that threatens the country's stability.
