Nyeri deputy county commissioner, Joseph Mwangi, on Friday, December 2, warned armed police officers against handing their rifles to candidates for photo sessions.
His warning was directed to cops managing the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) that kicked off countrywide with 884,263 candidates set to write the exam.
The deputy county commissioner issued the caveat to the officers, pointing out that firearms are only for authorised individuals who are trained to handle them.
"This time around we do not want to see any officer giving a student their gun to take selfies, that will warrant disciplinary action," Mwangi admonished.
He further stressed that security was tight and allayed any fears of cheating following the strict measures that have been put in place.
"We have briefed school principals that no student should enter the exam room with a phone. That is totally unacceptable," Mwangi stated.
Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) and security agencies announced that they will tightly man the exams to avoid any incidents of malpractice.
There have been incidents where police officers dropped their guard and handed their rifles to candidates to pose with them, endangering their lives.
In the past, officers were infamous for brandishing their guns and demonstrating to the learners how the weapon is operated.
The county deputy head announced that stern action will be taken against those who commit the offence.
KCSE exams are expected to run until December 23, with subsequent marking set to begin on January 2 to January 20, 2023, ahead of school opening on January 23, 2023.
