NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 14 – The National Police Service has deployed more than 1,000 officers, four water cannons and specialized tactical units to secure Thursday’s high-stakes Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election amid heightened political tensions, allegations of voter bribery and isolated incidents of violence.

📻 Breaking It Down

Inspector General Douglas Kanja said the elaborate security operation is designed to guarantee a peaceful, free and credible election, assuring residents they will be able to exercise their democratic rights without intimidation.

“The people of Ol Kalou are expected to exercise their democratic rights in a free, fair, peaceful, secure and credible manner as guided by our Constitution and the laws of the land,” Kanja said during a joint briefing with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

The security deployment comes as rival political camps continue to trade accusations of voter bribery, intimidation and electoral misconduct ahead of Thursday’s mini-poll.

📌 What You Need to Know

Kanja said every one of the constituency’s 114 polling stations will have at least two police officers assigned to secure voting materials, election officials and the polling process.

In addition, each polling station will have a standby response team of not fewer than fourteen officers ready to intervene in the event of any security incident.

“We have over 1,000 police officers deployed to ensure that the by-election is adequately covered,” Kanja said.

To reinforce the operation, the Inspector General announced the deployment of four platoons of General Service Unit (GSU) officers, four platoons from the Anti-Stock Theft Unit (ASTU) and four water cannons to respond to any public order challenges.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has also deployed officers to gather intelligence and investigate electoral offences, including voter bribery, violence and other forms of malpractice.

“The DCI’s mandate shall focus on intelligence gathering, investigations, arrest and prosecution of any party or individuals involved in any electoral malpractice,” Kanja said.

📰 Source: Capital FM Kenya