Polls won't disrupt road transportation, airports, hospitals and other key facilities on August 9, Election Day, authorities have said.
They assured Kenyans, investors and foreign visitors that they will be able to get around as usual without disruption during the general election.
County commissioner for Uasin Gishu Stephen Kihara says security teams have been put in place to ensure movement of goods and people along the Northern corridor will go smoothly.
Kihara says the Northern corridor road passing through Eldoret and the Eldoret International Airport are key facilities and their operations will continue as normal.
Other key facilities including hospitals and other emergency services will continue to serve the public normally, he said.
Kihara has advised that on the Election Day and afterwards residents of Uasin Gishu should keep the peace and stay unified as it has been over the years.
“Elections will just be one day and after that life will have to go on normally. We urge all Kenyans to ensure we safeguard peace and unity at all costs,”Kihara said. He spoke at a youth sensitisation meeting in Eldoret.
Kihara said the security sector was working on effective operations during the elections so the IEBC and other institutions will carry out their work smoothly.
“Our mandate is mainly security and we are working round the clock to ensure we will secure the election process as guided by the IEBC. We will ensure all other usual operations go on smoothly," he said.
Bishops and Muslim preachers in the region are proposing that bars and clubs should be shut down during the elections period so that all Kenyans participate in the polls without any form of substance influence.
The clergymen led by Bishop George Gichana and chairman of the imams Abubakar Bini said the government should ensure political leaders will not use alcohol to influence mostly youth.
Gichana said alcoholism and abuse of drugs may also contribute to insecurity.
Nacada is sensitising youth in 10 hot spot counties to avoid political influence and abuse of drugs and alcohol in order to cause violence during the election period.
Nacada CEO Victor Okioma says they have teamed up with NCIC and county leadership to carry out information meetings in Uasin Gishu, Kisumu, Nakuru and Mombasa, among others.
Okioma says political leaders must prioritise peace and unity,
Gichana and Bini said they would also work with the county chiefs to ensure peace in the region.
(Edited by V. Graham)
