President Uhuru Kenyatta's government will this year be required to allocate more resources towards providing security to about 13 individuals who are contesting for the presidential seat.
Earlier on, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) had indicated that 18 aspirants would vie for the Presidency but five of them have since dropped out of the race leaving the number at 13.
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According to Chapter 9 of the Constitution, "a Presidential election shall be cancelled and a new election held if a candidate for election as President or Deputy President dies on or before the scheduled election date".
It is, therefore, mandatory that the aspirants are accorded utmost protection before and during the August 8 General Election because they pose a threat to national security.
Any harm that befalls them might lead to cancellation of the Presidential election.
President Uhuru Kenyatta, being the head of state, has over 200 security guards while his Deputy William Ruto has around 50 guards.
Kenyans have often complained about the high number of security officers deployed to politicians saying it was a waste of resources, considering there are crime-prone areas that need security personnel.
Kenya’s police force is estimated to have a total of 109,000 officers but only about 50,000 are left to take care of over 40 million people.
That translates to a ratio of 1: 800 which is still short of the United Nation's recommended ratio of 1: 450.
Read Also: IEBC Reveals Number of Candidates Who Will Vie in August 2017 Elections
