New security command base launched in Rift Valley
Stringent security measures will be enforced in the Rift Valley to ensure the General Election is free and peaceful, says Regional Commissioner Maalim Mohamed (left).
Speaking after chairing a security committee where he launched a multi-agency security command centre at the regional police headquarters, Maalim said the ugly scenes witnessed in the past would not recur.
“We work as a multi-agency team; our success is collective and failure in any of us is also collective. There is no blame game here,” he stated.
He said that similar command centres have been opened in all the 14 counties of the region to ensure seamless security monitoring.
Maalim revealed that regional security teams have been conducting “meet-the-people tours”, especially in areas considered as violence hotspots such as Molo, Njoro, Keringet and Olenguruone in Kuresoi South.
He said electoral and ethnic violence that rocked parts of the region and Nakuru in the past would henceforth be unheard of.
“Rift Valley will never witness what has been happening in successive elections,” he said, adding that idlers would not be allowed near polling stations. He urged voters to leave immediately after casting their ballots.
The regional boss told politicians to abide by electoral laws, saying those found campaigning after August 6 would meet the full force of the law.
Accompanied by Regional Police Commander Tom Odero, Maalim said a team had been established to deal with electoral offences. He added that a curfew in parts of the North Rift would be lifted to allow locals to cast their votes.
“The Public Order Act requires the police to be notified but this time around police are so busy manning the elections and we have no time to run after you so please suspend those until after the elections,” he said.
Accompanied by Regional Police Commander Tom Odero, Maalim said a team had been established to deal specifically with electoral offences. He added that curfew in parts of the North Rift will be lifted to allow locals to cast their votes.
The Kenya Kwanza brigade led by Deputy President William Ruto and Nakuru senator and governorship candidate Susan Kihika saying that terming the heavy deployment of police to their strongholds as part of a wider scheme to rig the election.
“We are asking the public servants not to accept to be used to sabotage and cause conflicts, your job is to serve all Kenyans equally irrespective of their political affiliations,” Ruto said two days ago.
