[{"command":"settings","settings":{"pluralDelimiter":"\u0003","suppressDeprecationErrors":true,"ajaxPageState":{"libraries":"core\/picturefill,entity_embed\/caption,views\/views.ajax,views\/views.module","theme":"hrw_design","theme_token":null},"ajaxTrustedUrl":[],"views":{"ajax_path":"\/views\/ajax","ajaxViews":{"views_dom_id:blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__306571__en":{"view_name":"blog_live_feed","view_display_id":"blog_body_block","view_args":"306571","view_path":"\/blog\/content\/306571","view_base_path":null,"view_dom_id":"blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__306571__en","pager_element":0}}},"user":{"uid":0,"permissionsHash":"0ae5601d8790ff50fca3cf23b9ac9170285f2f75823ebdc8d9cc054bc03a679b"}},"merge":true},{"command":"add_css","data":"\u003Clink rel=\u0022stylesheet\u0022 media=\u0022all\u0022 href=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/css\/css_reI-6YIYy-k9pvxm-gaCRrn5cSrTZRtyAMrp4YXDUJw.css\u0022 \/\u003E\n"},{"command":"add_js","selector":"body","data":[{"src":"\/sites\/default\/files\/js\/js_VkK39bvB4H6LLVemwPFz8QWcUMTFqZ3FFo_LBVv_4vs.js"}]},{"command":"insert","method":"replaceWith","selector":".js-view-dom-id-blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__306571__en","data":"\u003Cdiv class=\u0022js-view-dom-id-blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__306571__en\u0022\u003E\n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n\n \u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n \u003Cdiv class=\u0022blog-block__content__description rich-text pt-6 mb:pt-10 mx-auto\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EThe tense primary season in Turkana, Kenya\u2019s largest county, has left residents nervous about the potential for violence during the August election. These fears are fueled by allegations of increased gun ownership by local politicians and elites operating outside established norms on gun use.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022embed\u0022 data-type=\u0022image\u0022\u003E\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022embed align-right embedded-entity embedded-entity-type-media embedded-entity-bundle-image embedded-entity-viewmode-embeddable embed--right\u0022\u003E\n \n\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n \n \n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\u0022figure figure--expand text-center\u0022\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022figure__media relative inline-block mx-auto\u0022\u003E\n \u003Ca href=\u0022\/modal\/32696\u0022 rel=\u0022modal:open\u0022 class=\u0022figure__link\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cimg srcset=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/480w\/public\/multimedia_images_2017\/201707africa_kenya_turkana_guns.jpg?itok=jlFVxSsy 480w, \/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/embed_xxl\/public\/multimedia_images_2017\/201707africa_kenya_turkana_guns.jpg?itok=M9-wXGez 850w\u0022 sizes=\u0022(max-width: 524px) 100px, 500px\u0022 data-responsive-image-style=\u0022embedded_images\u0022 src=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/embed_xxl\/public\/multimedia_images_2017\/201707africa_kenya_turkana_guns.jpg?itok=M9-wXGez\u0022 width=\u0022850\u0022 height=\u0022596\u0022 alt=\u0022Turkana men walk with their rifles near Baragoy, Kenya, January 31, 2016. \u00a9 2016 Reuters\u0022 loading=\u0022lazy\u0022 typeof=\u0022foaf:Image\u0022 \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022figure__expand absolute block bottom-0 right-0 w-8 h-8 bg-white text-gray-700\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022sr-only\u0022\u003EClick to expand Image\u003C\/span\u003E\n \n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022icon fill-current w-full inline-block\u0022\u003E\n \u003Csvg viewbox=\u00220 0 20 20\u0022 fill=\u0022currentColor\u0022 role=\u0022img\u0022 focusable=\u0022false\u0022 aria-hidden=\u0022true\u0022\u003E\u003Cuse xlink:href=\u0022\/themes\/custom\/hrw_design\/dist\/app-drupal\/assets\/spritemap.svg?cacheBuster=#sprite-expand\u0022\u003E\u003C\/use\u003E\u003C\/svg\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003C\/a\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003Cfigcaption class=\u0022figure__info text-left font-serif text-xs md:text-sm lg:text-base mx-auto text-gray-700 mt-1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022figure__caption\u0022\u003ETurkana men walk with their rifles near Baragoy, Kenya, January 31, 2016.\u00a0\n\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022figure__credit\u0022\u003E\u00a9 2016 Reuters\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003C\/figcaption\u003E\u003C\/figure\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EGun ownership is common in Turkana among pastoralists in rural communities. Many of those owning these guns are \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/erepo.usiu.ac.ke\/bitstream\/handle\/11732\/912\/agade.pdf?sequence=4\u0026amp;isAllowed=y\u0022\u003EKenya Police Reservists\u003C\/a\u003E \u2013 people authorized to shoot and possibly kill while defending \u003Cem\u003Ekraals\u003C\/em\u003E (homesteads) from hostile neighboring communities. However, a local activist told us that during a recent recruitment and registration drive by the Kenya Police Reservists, several prominent politicians and business owners were amongst those seeking to legally register weapons.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EThis shift in use is contributing to a sense of heightened insecurity in urban areas of Turkana. On June 1 Daudi Edoki, 25, was shot at point blank range and killed during a rally in Katilu town, Turkana South. Police are still investigating the case, but witnesses told us Edoki was in the crowd, allegedly receiving money from a local politician. When he openly expressed support for an opposing candidate, an assailant shot him at point blank range. The gunshot triggered a panic and some others shot their guns, injuring at least 3 people who were admitted to Lodwar district hospital.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003ELast October, two daughters of current Kalokol Member of the County Assembly Josphat Ekeno \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.standardmedia.co.ke\/article\/2000221175\/girl-8-shot-in-chest-as-violence-mars-turkana-by-election\u0022\u003Ewere shot during an armed ambush\u003C\/a\u003E at the politician\u2019s home. The elder daughter was treated for minor injuries and an 8 year-old child was admitted at Eldoret referral hospital with a bullet lodged in her chest. In February, several youths \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.nation.co.ke\/news\/Raila-Odinga-rally-disrupted-in-Turkana-East\/1056-3817288-jc4c1fz\/index.html\u0022\u003Eallegedly shot\u003C\/a\u003E their guns during an opposition primary rally in Katilia, disrupting the meeting. No one was killed during this incident although several people were injured.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EThe chaotic primaries earlier this year in Turkana suggest the 2017 election may be among the most hotly contested in the region\u2019s history. Local human rights defenders worry that the proliferation of weapons could increase the potential for volatility. \u201cElections in Turkana have always been peaceful,\u201d one human rights defender told us, \u201cbut if we fight in Turkana it will be the worst fight, because of the guns.\u201d There is so far little sign of the authorities responding to this risk.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n\u003C\/div\u003E\n","settings":null}]