POTENTIAL HOTSPOT

Security tightened, observers monitor Rift poll preparation

Foreign and local election observers deployed in Uasin Gishu, elsewhere in Rift

In Summary

•The European Union, the US Embassy and British High Commission are among teams already deploying accredited members to monitor poll preparations.

• Foreign observers have been attending final campaign meetings for presidential and other candidates in Rift Valley with more than 5m registered voters.

Uasin Gishu county commissioner Stephen Kihara speaking in Eldoret
KIHARA Uasin Gishu county commissioner Stephen Kihara speaking in Eldoret
Image: MATHEWS NDANYI

Foreign and local observers are booking hotels in parts of Rift Valley to assess preparations, security, campaigning, polling and results transmission.

Many hotels are fully booked.

Parts of Rift Valley have been identified as places where poll violence is possible before, during and after the general election on Tuesday.

The European Union, US embassy and British High commission have already begun deploying accredited teams to the region to make assessments.

Some of the foreign observers have been attending final campaign meetings for presidential and other candidates in Rift Valley region that has more than five  million registered voters.

Some of the observers have also visited offices of the IEBC and other county offices to check on poll preparations.

Top hotels have reported heavy bookings by the observers and election agents

Uasin Gishu county commissioner Stephen Kihara said security teams are in place to ensure movement of goods and people along with other businesses on the Northern Corridor road will go on smoothly.

“We now have so many people coming in because of the elections and we are will ensure the elections process will go on smoothly with full guidance from the IEBC," Kihara said.

He spoke at a youth sensitisation meeting in Eldoret.

The government is assuring Kenyans, investors and foreign visitors that road transport operations, airports and hospitals among other key infrastructure institutions in the region will operate normally during the election period.

Kihara said the Northern corridor road passing through Eldoret and the Eldoret International Airport are key facilities whose operations will continue smoothly.

Kihara said Kenyans who want to go on with other activities will be free to so during and after the polls

“Elections will just be one day and after that life will have to go on normally. We urge all Kenyans to ensure  e safeguard peace and unity at all costs,” Kihara said. 

Kihara said the security sector was working on effective operations during the elections so that 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 that we will secure the election process as guided by the IEBC and we will ensure that all other usual operations go on smoothly”, Kihara said.

(Edited by V. Graham)

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