Truckloads of police officers from the General Service Unit could be seen stationed strategically in various streets of Nairobi and near Uhuru Park to maintain utmost security.
Within the Central Business District, businesses went on as usual even as youths aligned to the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy mobilised people to attend the rally.
The Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo on Friday urged his officers to ensure there was maximum security within the city and the entire country over the Madaraka fete weekend.
“The National Police Service has put in place sufficient security measures and arrangements to ensure that the national celebration and political rally are conducted safely, and all the people who will attend will be safe, this is in line with our mandate as provided for under Section 24 and 27 of the National Police Service Act (2011).”
“However, I want to state here that, the organisers of the Uhuru Park rally must ensure that they have in place sufficient safeguards to ensure that all the people who will attend the event conduct themselves with utmost civility,” Kimaiyo said.
He also urged the leaders who will be attending the meeting to avoid “all manner of inflammatory statements, or actions which may amount to intimidation of others or hate speech.”
“Further to this, all the supporters must also not engage in any acts of lawlessness or actions of indecency while moving along the streets or any other public places.”
CORD leaders said they expected one million supporters to attend the rally.
No case of unrest had been reported by mid afternoon.