More security officers have been deployed to volatile areas of Laikipia County ahead of Tuesday’s General Election.
County Commissioner Joseph Kanyiri told the Nation that additional police officers had been deployed to Kirima sub-county, which comprises Ol Moran, Sossian and Githiga wards.
“More security officers have already been deployed to the insecurity-prone areas neighbouring Ol Moran ward to ensure that peace prevails before, during and after the August 9 polls,” Mr Kanyiri said.
“I cannot disclose the number of officers sent to the area for security reasons but it is quite a big number.”
The additional officers would be stationed around the expansive Laikipia Nature Conservancy, regarded as a hideout for bandits who occasionally launch attacks on the neighbouring villages of Wangwachi, Matuiku, Merigwet and Miharati.
During the 2017 elections, there was a security scare in parts of Sossian ward after sounds of gunfire were heard on the morning of polling day, striking fear in voters and keeping some of them away from their designated polling stations.
But Mr Kanyiri assured the public that security officers are well equipped and prepared to deal with any threats to peace.
Telephone number
“We have set up a multiagency coordination centre at the county police headquarters and anyone who encounters anything suspicious as we head to the polls can report via telephone number 0776451830,” he said.
He added that security agencies were working with stakeholders, including political candidates, on maintaining peace by adhering to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) code of conduct.
Meanwhile, preparations for the August 9 polls are almost complete in Laikipia County. Voting materials arrived on Wednesday morning and officers who will oversee the elections have received relevant training.
“We have received ballot papers this morning for all elective positions apart from the presidential [ones],” county IEBC coordinator Aluisia Kanini told journalists.
