The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), on Wednesday announced that it would train approximately 150,000 police officers to oversee the upcoming elections.
IEBC Director of Communications Andrew Limo explained that plans were underway to train security officers on election laws and security.
Mr Limo noted that the commission had mapped out hotspots in all the 47 counties to prepare for any risk of political violence after early warning, consultations with stakeholders and after the country was hit by a wave of unrest in Kisumu, Homa Bay, Kirinyaga and Kiambu in the ongoing party nominations.
“We intend to intensify collaboration on the use of early warning and response mechanisms with other stakeholders as prevention and mitigation strategy on electoral violence,” Limo told The Star.
The Communication Director disclosed that the commission had held several workshops with the different security players in the country to help in reviewing the election security materials that include election security handbook, charge sheets and the training manual on poll security ahead of the August 8 General Election.
“Successful preparations and management of elections require that the commission and other stakeholders put in place strategies that identify risk factors relevant in an electoral context and offer prevention and mitigation measures,” the IEBC official stated.
The decision by the elections body comes a few weeks after the National Democratic Institute, an American based Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), released a report indicating that most Kenyans were worried and concerned about pre and post-election violence in the country.
In the report, all respondents who were interviewed by the NGO expressed their concerns about the potential for violence to occur in Kenya during and after the elections.
Earlier this week, IEBC Chairperson Wafula Chebukati warned all aspirants against violating the Electoral Code of Conduct stating that tough measures would be taken on all persons who contravene the Act.
