NAIROBI, Kenya- More than 1,000 police officers have been deployed to Nyandarua County ahead of Thursday’s Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election, with Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja assuring voters of adequate security throughout the electoral process.
Speaking during an Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) briefing on Tuesday, Kanja said the National Police Service has put in place a comprehensive security plan covering all 114 polling stations in the constituency.
The Inspector General said each polling station will have at least two police officers tasked with safeguarding election materials, protecting the voting process and ensuring electoral officials discharge their duties without interference.
“Our work shall be to safeguard the voting materials and the voting process itself while offering adequate security, ensuring that the electoral officials perform their duties well and unhindered,” Kanja said.
Beyond the officers stationed at polling centres, Kanja said additional security teams have been deployed across the constituency to reinforce safety during voting, counting and the declaration of results.
The security operation includes four platoons of the General Service Unit (GSU), four platoons from the Anti-Stock Theft Unit (ASTU), detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and four water cannons positioned to respond to any security incidents.
The DCI officers will focus on intelligence gathering, investigating electoral offences and facilitating the arrest and prosecution of anyone found engaging in election malpractice, the police chief said.
Kanja assured residents that security agencies are fully prepared to guarantee a peaceful, free and credible election.
“As the Inspector General of the National Police Service, mine is a message of assurance and affirmation that the people of Ol Kalou are expected to exercise their democratic right in a free, fair, peaceful and secure manner as guided by our Constitution and the laws of the land,” he said.
The July 16 by-election was called following the death of former Ol Kalou MP David Kiaraho in March this year. The mini-poll has attracted significant political attention, with nine candidates seeking to succeed him.