Nairobi, Kenya, April 1- Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has assured security for Party primaries across the country saying strategic deployments to secure the exercise have been made.
Speaking Friday during a consultative meeting with the Inter-Religious Council of Kenya (IRCK) in Nairobi, Matiang’i said police and other security agencies have been mobilized and strategically deployed ahead of political party primaries that are expected to be hotly contested in some regions.
Matiang’i said a multi-agency security team had already mapped out potential flashpoints in the exercise that is set to be held on different dates this month by different political parties.
He said the special deployment plan will be executed alongside heightened surveillance of political activities and the crackdown on hate speech and incitement.
“We have our plans for ensuring the nominations, like any other election-related activity, is conducted in an environment of peace. We are continuously assessing the levels of vulnerability to security challenges during this season and adjusting our strategies accordingly,” he said.
The Interior CS expressed concerns with the prolonged political campaigns for exerting a heavy strain on the police and other security resources as more officers are being dedicated to dealing with campaign-related conflicts.
He challenged IEBC to strictly enforce the election calendar, especially on official campaign window saying protracted politicking was unhealthy to national and families’ economy.
Matiang’i pointed out that inclusive debate on election laws and campaign financing rules, which should have regulated spending by politicians, is also encouraging violent conflicts on sharing of bribery money among mobilised crowds.
“We have been on campaign mode in the past four years. What follows is violent confrontations arising from disagreements in sharing of campaign bribes. We have had to commit more resources into managing charged crowds and containing the resultant clashes, and this has strained the resources we have at our disposal,” he said.
The IRCK through its Chair, Rev. Father Joseph Mutie, sought appraisal on the security preparedness for the August polls and specifically the Government plan against ethnic mobilization that is undermining cohesion, security and peace.
The Council also sought the CS’s guarantees that police and other security agencies will uphold neutrality during the elections and that IEBC staff will be provided with adequate security.
CS Matiang’i said the Government will meet IEBC security needs as requested by the Commission and challenged religious leaders to commit more efforts to peace and reconciliation efforts.
On February 22, the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) said they had mapped out 23 counties as possible hotspots for violence before, during and after the August elections.
The regions include Kisumu, Uasingishu, Nakuru, Mombasa, Nairobi, Migori, Kericho, Isiolo, Lamu, Bungoma, Kakamega, Vihiga, Trans Nzoia, Marsabit, Kiambu, Nyamira, Homa Bay, Nandi, Bomet, Murang’a, Kirinyaga, Garissa, Siaya.
“We must stay alert and vigilant in these,” the Commission chairperson Samuel Kobia told a news conference.
The Commission designed a 13 variable risk matrix to identify the counties which Kobia said will be closely monitored ahead of the polls with special focus given to the whole subject of hate speech.
