Voter bribery and mobilization of rented crowds are the main challenges the National Police Service (NPS) is facing in the build-up to the August 9 General election.
The government has now warned that there will be no sacred cows in the crackdown on perpetrators of political violence.
This is according to Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiangí who spoke when he appeared before the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Administration and National Security at Parliament buildings on Tuesday.
With just 125 days to the general election, the security apparatus in the country is on high alert over two key election malpractices that might trigger political violence during and after the polls.
“The greatest danger and challenges we face as a country during this electoral cycle is the phenomenon of voter bribery and renting of crowds. There’s a feature that is emerging, and we have traced it across the country, where politicians are spending money to pay youths, move huge groups of people at night,” said the CS.
“If it doesn’t stop, as we move along towards the election, the clashes will intensify. So it’s upon us, as leaders, to decide how we’re going to conduct ourselves.”
Citing Raila Odinga’s chopper attack as an example of premeditated pre-election violence, C.S Matiang’i warned politicians against fanning violence during party primaries and the August elections.
“None of us is above the law, not even me the minister for security. We always have to act strictly according to the law. And fortunately we’re a country that is governed by laws,” stated the CS.
Ongoing insecurity in bandit-prone counties such as Marsabit, Laikipia, Isiolo, Baringo and Samburu counties attributed to politics, with the Interior CS stating that the ongoing security operation will be extended by atleast a month.
A total of 135,000 police officers drawn from all government security agencies will be on duty during the August 9 elections, with NCIC mapping out at least 5 counties being (that are) potential hotspots.