Editorials

EDITORIAL: Vandalism unacceptable

demo

NRM leaders must press on with their campaign within the narrow confines of law. FILE PHOTO | NMG

The National Resistance Movement (NRM) has cited its constitutional and democratic right to engage in a campaign of civil disobedience, including a boycott of products belonging to three companies, to push for electoral justice.

In a number of public pronouncements, the NRM leaders have also given the impression that their supporters would avoid any unlawful activities while exercising the said right.

But recent reports of protesters vandalising a telecommunications mast in Kisumu or damaging mobile money service shops elsewhere suggest that some of the NRM followers haven’t quite understood how far they can go.

The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) said on Wednesday that telecommunications firms had lost more than Sh280 million to acts of vandalism of infrastructure, including those attributed to the recent political violence.

Much of the damage was caused without regard to the public utility value of the infrastructure shared by multiple operators, compromising service to all consumers in the affected areas.

READ: Telcos lose Sh280 million to vandals

Those who have expressed their reservations about the wisdom of NRM’s choice of an economic boycott to pursue a political objective are likely to see this report as validating their view.

But if the NRM leaders select to press on with their campaign within the narrow confines of law, they surely must ensure a sense of discipline among their supporters as well.