ODM Director of Communications Philip Etale is urging politicians to tone down their rhetoric ahead of the 2027 General Election, warning that reckless political statements could reopen wounds from Kenya's violent electoral past.
Speaking on Radio Generation on Monday, Etale said the country cannot afford a repeat of the bloodshed that followed previous elections.
"I saw what happened in 2007, and I wouldn't want it to happen again in this country," he said, recalling his assignment that took him through Nakuru and the North Rift during the unrest. "What I saw should never, ever happen again in Kenya."
He warned that inflammatory remarks from leaders across the political divide are raising political temperatures unnecessarily.
"We need to tread cautiously. We need to be careful with our utterances out there as politicians because you don't know what we are cooking," Etale said. "The drums of war that are being beaten by politicians from both sides of the political divide are not good."
Etale argued that elections should never be treated as a matter of life and death, urging leaders and supporters to accept electoral outcomes peacefully.
"Whoever wins, let them win. Whoever loses, let them be accommodated. After all, we are children of God, and we are all Kenyans in this country," he said.
Beyond politicians, Etale also turned his attention to the media, accusing some news organisations of amplifying inflammatory political rhetoric through sensational headlines.
"What if we decided to give a total blackout to this madness that we see every day?" he asked. "Focus on education, health, the economy and news that is interesting to the people, and not news that is disturbing."
According to Etale, repeated publication of provocative political statements only encourages more divisive behaviour.
"When people see these screaming headlines, they want to do exactly what the papers report so that the papers will continue reporting the same thing," he said.
The former journalist also expressed concern over what he describes as declining professional standards in newsrooms, saying some reporters prioritise attention-grabbing headlines over substance.
"You'll see a very screaming headline on the paper. But when you go into the detail of the story, there's nothing," he said. "We have the responsibility to inform the nation. We have to be careful not to incite or whip emotions of the people."
Etale's remarks come amid growing concern over political intolerance as the country inches closer to the 2027 polls.
The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) has recently warned against rising hate speech, ethnic profiling and inflammatory political rhetoric, saying such conduct threatens national unity and democratic stability.
The commission has vowed to monitor political rallies, mainstream media and online platforms, and to take action against individuals found violating the law.