Mandera county security officials assured Banisa residents of their safety ahead of Thursday’s by-election, saying all preparations are in place for a peaceful and orderly vote.
Speaking in Garissa during a Regional Multisectoral Coordination and Cooperation Forum, County Commissioner James Chacha said the security team had assessed the situation and was confident the poll would proceed without insecurity incidents.
He said, unlike other parts of the country where by-election campaigns have recently been marred by violence, Banisa has witnessed calm, low-key campaigns with no single incident reported.
Chacha commended residents, candidates and political parties for maintaining peace throughout the campaign period, urging them to sustain the same conduct during and after voting.
“So far so good. Our teams are well prepared. We do not anticipate any violence in Banisa. The security situation has remained stable and our officers are on high alert to ensure the by-election proceeds smoothly,” he said.
Chacha also encouraged eligible voters to turn out in large numbers, assuring them that no intimidation or disruption would be tolerated.
“I urge the people of Banisa to come out and vote. Your safety is guaranteed and we will ensure a peaceful, transparent and orderly process,” he added.
Only two candidates are in the race— UDA’s Ahmed Malim Hassan and UPA’s Nurdin Maalim Mohamed.
The poll follows a High Court decision last week allowing Hassan to contest, after a petition seeking to bar him from the race on grounds of alleged dual citizenship was dismissed.
Justice Lawrence Mugambi found the case premature, speculative and procedurally flawed, noting that the matter had already been dealt with by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission’s Dispute Resolution Committee.
The petitioner had argued that Hassan was ineligible unless he renounced his foreign citizenship, but the judge held that the challenge stood on “quicksand” both in procedure and substance.
“The dispute is premature and speculative as the first respondent has only offered himself as a candidate,” Justice Mugambi ruled.
INSTANT ANALYSIS
The Banisa by-election is shaping up to be a low-tension contest, with security agencies projecting rare confidence compared to volatile past by-elections elsewhere in Kenya. The calm campaign period, absence of violence and early security deployment signal a coordinated effort to avoid disruptions in a region previously prone to political and clan-based flare-ups. With only two candidates on the ballot and a court challenge against the UDA contender settled, the poll now hinges on turnout and perception of credibility. If the peaceful trend holds through Thursday, Banisa could offer a model for managing competitive by-elections in historically fragile areas.
