This archive report was first published on 9 November 2019.
Photos of former Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale carrying stones during the Kibra by-election went viral on social media on Thursday.
As a key campaigner for Jubilee party candidate McDonald Mariga, Khalwale toured polling stations, condemning pockets of violence witnessed during voting.
“…it is voting not violence that counts at an election,” he said when he accompanied Mariga to Shadrack Kimalel School, Upper Hill and DC polling stations.
However, a video emerged later showing rowdy youth chasing him out of Laini Saba Ward, and photos of him carrying stones were shared online.
Kenyan social media users criticized Khalwale, terming his behavior unacceptable for a leader.
Dr. Thuranira Kaugiria, secretary-general of the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentist Union (KMPDU) Nairobi, distanced the union from Khalwale's actions, saying: “@kmpdu distances itself from this habit.?”
ODM secretary-general Edwin Sifuna noted: “#ODMUnleashesGoons.”
Ahmed Mohamed posed: “Pictures are disheartening and sad. This man was once a kingpin of a whole community, he’s a medical doctor, the immediate former Senator of Kakamega County. Who or what reduced Boni Khalwale to this?”
Published on November 9, 2019, the incident occurred just days after Khalwale defected to Jubilee party from Ford Kenya on May 17th, 2019, during a meeting with Deputy President William Ruto.
