Police officers on the ground to ensure security

A police officer inspecting some of the ballot boxes at Shanzu Teachers College, Mombasa, on August 6, 2017. Police officers will ensure there is security during polls. PHOTO | LABAN WALLOGA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Mr Kinoti said all officers would remain impartial while discharging their duties.
  • EACC chief executive Halakhe Waqo said the officers would act as monitors and observers.

All police officers deployed to ensure security during Tuesday’s polls have arrived at their respective stations.

The National Police Service on Sunday said 150,000 officers drawn from the Kenya Police, the Administration Police, General Service Unit and Directorate of Criminal Investigations will help maintain order across the country.

SAFETY

National Police Service spokesman George Kinoti said all was set and assured Kenyans of adequate security.

“The distribution of the police officers was done with consideration of the perceived threats.

"It was not uniform because as we are all aware the security needs of different regions in the country differ,” Mr Kinoti said.

He said all police officers in the country are currently on duty and that apart from the deployment to help the IEBC exercise its mandate by providing security, others officers would be on duty at their respective stations.

IMPARTIAL
Some Kenya Wildlife Service, Kenya Forestry Service and National Youth Service officers would help police provide security.

“They will help in crowd control and also in some duties relating to crime,” Mr Kinoti said.

He said all officers would remain impartial while discharging their duties in strict adherence with the law.

All the 42,000 polling stations, Mr Kinoti said, would be guarded by armed police officers.

EACC
The Interior ministry has launched toll free telephone line, 0800724956, which the public can use to report incidents.

At the same time, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission on Sunday said it had deployed hundreds of officers to oversee the election to ensure integrity and transparency.

EACC chief executive Halakhe Waqo said the officers would act as monitors and observers of the process in all the 47 counties.

“We cannot reveal the number of the officers deployed, but almost all employees are out there in the field,” said Mr Waqo through the EACC head of communications Yasin Amaro.

OBSERVERS
He said the monitors will be tasked with intervening and reporting any contravention of the law as Kenyans vote.

“They are allowed to intervene and make sure that the law and the rules are observed and that the elections are fair, transparent and credible,” Mr Waqo said.

He said the officers would be on the ground until August 11 or later, depending on the need to have them there.

“The monitors and observers will also be stationed at all tallying centres, including the National tallying centre at Bomas of Kenya,” the anti-corruption commission boss said.