The strong message delivered by Busia County Police Commander Robinson Langat in Marachi should ultimately be understood not merely as a warning, but as a call to restore normal life, protect residents and reclaim communities from the grip of violence.
Security is the foundation upon which development, business, education and peaceful political participation are built. When clashes become frequent, ordinary residents pay the highest price. Traders fear opening their businesses, young people can be drawn into confrontation, families worry about their safety and essential services can be disrupted.
Langat’s message therefore presents two important principles: those involved in criminal activities must face the law, while those willing to abandon violence should have a pathway back into peaceful society.
His call for surrender is particularly significant. Young people involved in criminal activities should understand that abandoning violence is not a sign of weakness. It is an opportunity to reclaim their future. Arrest and prosecution may be necessary where crimes have been committed, but prevention, dialogue and rehabilitation can also play an important role in stopping young people from being permanently trapped in cycles of confrontation.
County Commissioner Stephen Orinde's emphasis on engagement is equally important. His acknowledgement that these are “vijana wetu” provides an opportunity for authorities, community elders, religious leaders, political leaders and youth representatives to address the underlying issues that make young people vulnerable to criminal networks.
Marachi belongs to everyone
Perhaps the most powerful message from the meeting came from residents themselves.
Marachi is home to people from different ethnic communities. As resident Faria Jele observed, the area accommodates Somalis, Kikuyus, Luos and people from many other communities.
That diversity should be celebrated as a strength rather than allowed to become a source of suspicion.
The people of Marachi share the same roads, markets, schools, churches, mosques, water points and public services. They also share the same economic challenges and the same desire to raise their children in safe communities.
Peace therefore cannot belong to one tribe, one political camp or one generation. It belongs to everybody.
The call for Kenya Power employees, police officers and other government officials to be allowed to perform their duties without intimidation is also important. Public services cannot function effectively where officers and service providers fear obstruction or violence.
Politics must not destroy community
With the 2027 General Election approaching, Busia has an opportunity to demonstrate that political competition and peaceful coexistence can exist side by side.
Political parties and leaders will naturally compete for support. Citizens will make different political choices. Some will support one candidate, while their neighbours may support another.
That is democracy.
What should never become acceptable is turning political disagreement into physical confrontation.
A person does not become an enemy simply because he or she supports a different candidate.
The wise political culture is one in which supporters campaign vigorously during the day and remain neighbours afterwards.
A chance for a new beginning
The Marachi meeting should therefore be seen as an opportunity for a new beginning.
Security agencies have a responsibility to protect life and property and enforce the law. Community leaders have a responsibility to discourage violence. Parents have a responsibility to guide young people away from criminal networks. Political leaders have a responsibility to reject violence and inflammatory mobilisation. And residents have a responsibility to provide information about genuine threats while avoiding rumours and collective blame.
At the same time, young people who may have been caught up in criminal activities should seriously consider the opportunity presented by the authorities' call to surrender and abandon violence.
Busia’s “Jobless” Gang: Summons Are Not Arrests — And Youth Need Jobs, Not Politics Theater
There is more dignity in building a business than burning one. There is more future in education than confrontation. There is more strength in peaceful organisation than criminal violence.
Marachi does not need to become a theatre of perpetual confrontation. It can become an example of how a community confronted insecurity, brought its young people into dialogue and restored peaceful coexistence.
The message emerging from the security meeting is therefore simple and positive:
Let the guns, stones, threats and political hostility give way to dialogue, enterprise, education and peaceful competition. Let Marachi remain a home—not a battlefield.
And as Busia prepares for the next General Election, the county's greatest victory should not be one political faction defeating another. It should be Busia's people choosing peace over violence and development over destruction.Start writing your story…
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts.