Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has warned that political violence ahead of the 2027 General Election could have serious consequences for Kenya’s economy, jobs and livelihoods, calling on political leaders and institutions to act early to prevent tensions from escalating.

Mudavadi said peace and political stability should be treated as national economic assets, arguing that uncertainty around elections can discourage investment, slow hiring and hurt ordinary Kenyans.

He spoke on Monday during the launch of the Roadmap to a Violence-Free 2027 General Election, dubbed Uchaguzi Bila Noma, in Nairobi.

Mudavadi said while Kenya had made progress in managing closely contested elections, the country could not afford to assume that peaceful elections were guaranteed.

“Peace is not something that we inherit permanently. It has to be built, maintained and guarded, particularly when political temperatures begin to rise,” he said.

He said preventing electoral violence would require cooperation among the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC), the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), government agencies, political parties, religious organizations, civil society and the private sector.

According to Mudavadi, peace carries direct economic value because it gives businesses confidence to invest, employers confidence to hire and families confidence to plan for the future.

He pointed to Kenya’s 2007/2008 post-election violence as a reminder of the human and economic cost of political instability.

The crisis resulted in deaths, displacement of families, destruction of businesses, disruption of schooling and loss of jobs, while also damaging relations among communities that had lived together for years.

Mudavadi said infrastructure and businesses could eventually be rebuilt after violence, but lives lost could never be restored.

“That is why preventing political violence is not simply about protecting the electoral process. It is about protecting the Kenyan economy, protecting livelihoods and, above all, protecting Kenyan lives,” he said.

He warned that political and economic confidence were closely linked, saying businesses, investors, workers and families closely monitor the country’s political environment.

“When uncertainty grows, people become cautious. Investment is postponed. Hiring slows down. Businesses hold back,” Mudavadi said, noting that ordinary Kenyans with limited capacity to absorb economic shocks often suffer first.

The Prime Cabinet Secretary also called for early intervention in areas where political tensions begin to emerge, saying peacebuilding efforts should not wait until Election Day.

He said the Uchaguzi Bila Noma roadmap should not become another document launched at a public ceremony and later forgotten, but should instead guide early-warning, dialogue and conflict-prevention efforts across the country.

“We must identify risks early, intervene early and keep channels of communication open,” he said.

Mudavadi also placed political leaders on the spot over inflammatory rhetoric, warning that political competition should not be used to dehumanize opponents or turn communities against one another.

“Sometimes violence begins long before the first stone is thrown. It begins with language,” Mudavadi said.

He urged young Kenyans to participate actively in the country’s politics and demand accountability while resisting attempts to portray supporters of rival candidates as enemies.

He also called for respect for Kenya’s democratic institutions, saying the IEBC must be allowed to manage elections independently, the Judiciary should discharge its constitutional mandate and security agencies must protect citizens and uphold the law.

NCIC, he added, should continue addressing hate speech, discrimination and incitement.

“Our task is to learn how to disagree without becoming enemies,” he said.

As political activity builds towards the 2027 polls, Mudavadi urged leaders and citizens to remember that the country’s interests must take precedence over individual political ambitions.

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