Muslim leaders in Eldoret urge politicians to tone down abusive rhetoric

Senior Muslim clerics in Eldoret have issued a stern warning to politicians in the North Rift region, calling on elected officials and their supporters to abandon inflammatory language that they say is fuelling tension in an already volatile political environment.

The appeal was made during Eid-ul-Adha prayers at the Eldoret Muslim Association grounds in Uasin Gishu County, where hundreds of worshippers gathered for the morning congregation. Several imams used the occasion to speak directly to the political climate gripping the region, which has seen escalating exchanges between allies of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and factions backing President William Ruto's administration following Gachagua's impeachment and removal from office late last year.

Sheikh Abdullahi Hassan, one of the clerics who addressed the congregation, said the rhetoric being deployed by political actors was reckless and risked inflaming ethnic sensitivities in a region with a painful history of post-election violence. Uasin Gishu County was among the areas worst affected by the 2007–2008 post-election crisis, an episode that left deep communal scars that advocates warn remain unhealed.

"Our elected leaders must remember that they are servants of all the people, not generals preparing for battle," Hassan told worshippers. He urged residents to reject politicians who exploit communal gatherings to spread messages of hatred or mobilise supporters against rival groups.

The clerics also called on the National Cohesion and Integration Commission to enforce the law against public figures whose statements cross the threshold set under the National Cohesion and Integration Act. The commission has faced recurring criticism for uneven application of its mandate, particularly when the accused enjoy political proximity to the ruling administration.