I am a native of Migori and I want to defend the honour and dignity of my people.

The people of Migori are peace-loving and democratic. We have our moments. Some of these moments have been used to stereotype us. 

As a county we boast of a fairly democratic and liberal tradition. In 2013 we elected Governor Okoth Obado on a PDP ticket and in the 11th Parliament, we had a Ford Kenya MP in Awendo and other parties were also represented in both the county assemblies and the National Assembly.

 In fact, today in the 12th Parliament, we have Peter Masara of Suna West who won as an independent candidate, Mathias Nyamabe Robi of Kuria West and Kitayama Marwa both in Parliament courtesy of Jubilee Party. 

The hail of stones unleashed on Jimi Wanjigi in Migori cannot be generalised and they do not represent who the people of Migori are.

Those are a few youths who have allowed themselves to be used by the very politicians, who have made their lives deplorable and created a group of young men who are vulnerable to cheap political handouts.

If political intolerance was our thing, we would have had ODM all through, but we are a listening, democratic people and we give power to the candidates who speak to our issues and at the national level, the support and loyalty to Raila Odinga has never been in doubt. 

But it seems some of the folks we have given power to address our issues at the county level, in the recent past, have catastrophically failed us and are now imagining they are ‘taller than life.’

In most parts of this country, intolerance is at its highest in local and clan politics. But Migori has allowed for democratic contestations.  

Today in Suna East, we have a non-native MP and the majority natives voted for him on the basis of his agenda.

In the 10th Parliament, John Pesa served the wider Migori constituency, which has since been split to Suna East and Suna West, with distinction yet his roots are in Nyatike.

Therefore, we cannot be said to be intolerant of divergent views or leaders from without. 

But before I put my argument in context, let me say that as a Migorian, I condemn in the strongest terms possible the violence meted on politicians in Migori. Political intolerance has no place in our politics.

If you don’t like a politician or his message don’t heckle, don’t throw stones, don’t cause chaos, just take a walk and give those who care, the opportunity to listen and make a decision. 

Having analysed the situation in Migori, many Migorians have respect for Jimi Wanjigi.

Not just as a presidential candidate, but as a man of honour who stood with Raila Odinga against the tribal dialectics that characterised the last elections.

In fact, Wanjigi portends a refreshing brand of politics which though unlikely to propel him to State House, is definitely changing the landscape. 

Fact is, his traversing of the country to spread his message is just the kind of politics we need in this country.

A country that allows political leaders to move freely and sell their ideas. The person behind the best ideas wins, not because he is from this tribe or party, but because his ideas triumph.

We must reject leaders who frustrate the selling of ideas to the people and the people of Migori must know that there is hope.

Hope of judiciously using the more than 137 million Constituency Development Funds for each of our eight constituencies to change the lives of our people. 

We must rise up and say no to politicians who for five years rob us of the opportunities to address our problems by misusing public resources like the CDF, and still come back to take advantage of the vulnerable amongst us by giving them handouts to cause chaos. 

Wanjigi and Kenyans need to know that the people of Migori are not politically intolerant, but we certainly have a few shameless Migorians, who in their error of judgement allowed errant s politicians to use them.  —[email protected]