A victory at the ballot should bring an end to political battles, not keep them alive, ODM leader Oburu Odinga said on Friday as he urged former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua to ease his confrontational tone after winning the recent parliamentary by-election.
Speaking during a public address on Friday , Oburu said Gachagua had every reason to celebrate the outcome instead of remaining on the offensive. He noted that the election had been concluded and argued that the results had answered claims that the vote would be manipulated.
"When you see Gachagua, he is always in a fighting mood. He is in a fighting mood as if something has gone wrong," Oburu said. "But he has now won an election. When he has won an election, he should be congratulated."
Oburu said it was difficult to understand why Gachagua still appeared unhappy after his side emerged victorious. He recalled that the former Deputy President had warned that the by-election would be stolen, but said the declaration of the results had proved those fears wrong.
"He appears to be still annoyed that the election was to be stolen. Stolen by whom?" Oburu asked. "You have already won the election and the IEBC has proved that it can conduct an election with some kind of independence and some impartiality."
He added that the outcome of the by-election showed the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) was capable of conducting a credible election. According to Oburu, the poll should help build confidence in the electoral body rather than trigger fresh accusations after the winner had already been declared.
The ODM leader also called on politicians to help reduce political tension, saying the country stands to gain more from peace than endless political confrontations. He urged leaders to respect election outcomes and work towards bringing Kenyans together instead of keeping the country in campaign mode.
"Unity, we need peace and we don't want our friends to be annoyed all the time," he said, adding that there was no justification for remaining in campaign mode after the election had been decided.
Oburu wrapped up his remarks with a direct appeal to Gachagua, urging him to leave the election behind and embrace peace.
"The election now is over. So Gachagua, keep your peace. Keep your peace."