Security Heightened In N.E Counties Ahead Of Polls – Police

GARISSA, Kenya, Jul, 21 – Adequate security measures have been put in place to ensure that next month’s general elections are peaceful, North Eastern regional commissioner James Kianda has said.

Updating the press on security preparedness ahead of the polls today, Kianda said that necessary deployments of security officers is complete and that the government is determined in safeguarding the region during the campaigns, the voting exercise and after polls.

Kianda who was flanked by his regional security and intelligence committee that spearheads the management of security in the region was however quick to add that they were alert and ready to deal with any insecurity ‘if and when it arises’.

 “We have looked at our general security and what I can confirm to the public is that at the moment our region is very secure and our officers are manning all areas that are supposed to be managed quite well and we actually don’t have any threats that may interfere with peace within the region,” Kianda said.

“I can confirm that the border which has been an area of worry to most of our residents in the region is well secured. We have been able to plan and deploy and I can confirm that the border is well secured in terms of ensuring that we have no infiltration of enemies that can disrupt peace and more specifically during the elections period,” he added.

The regional commissioner singled out areas along the border with Somalia that have had cases of insecurity in the past following the infiltration of Al-Shabaab militants noting that the regional security team has been able to properly plan and deploy enough security personnel.

He said that along the border, the security personnel have done adequate preparation adding that a number of camps have their security boosted so as to forestall any interference from any enemy out there.

Kianda said the regional security committee has already classified hotspots areas within the region and where violence is likely to occur, adequate preparation has been put in place to forestall any would-be violence.

The regional commissioner further commended candidates seeking various seats as well as their supporters for conducting their campaigns with a lot of decorum.

“So far there is calm and retrain in how candidates looking for various seats are conducting their campaigns by adhering to the processes that are required especially by our security establishment. Equally, there has not been any provocation between various groups that are competing within the region and I would appeal that we continue like that,” Kianda said.

Kianda said that peace committees were working closely with the village elders, the youth, and women all geared towards ensuring that peace is promoted in their respective areas before, during and after the elections.

He said that all routes within the region where people will be moving to go and cast their votes have all been well manned.

“We are more than ever determined to make sure that the general election is held in an atmosphere that is peaceful and void of any threats and any person who is out to vote is able to do so with ease. But for us to make it a reality we will need maximum cooperation from everybody,” he said.