- The meeting led by NCAJ vice chairman Haji was taken through the preparations each institution has put in place.
- Chebukati said it is all system go and that the ballots and KIEMs kits will be in the centres by August 6.
Image: GORDON OSEN
Key agencies involved in the upcoming election have affirmed readiness to deliver the August 9 polls.
The National Council on Administration of Justice said on Friday that all vital players needed for the success of the polls are in synch and every gap has been sealed.
Present at the morning briefing were IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati, Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji, Interior PS Karanja Kibicho, deputy IGP in charge of Administration Police Noor Gabow, DCI George Kinoti among a host of justice sector players.
The meeting led by NCAJ vice chairman Haji was taken through the preparations each institution has put in place to support the Chebukati-led commission to achieve hitch-free elections.
“The gist and thrust of this meeting was the issue of election preparedness, which we discussed in detail as agencies that are mandated with responsibility of ensuring that justice within the country is assured and that, eventually, a free and fair election is delivered for all Kenyans,” Haji said.
Haji said all the institutions were well prepared and that all the differences that may have existed between personalities and the institutions involved have been ironed out.
DCI Kinoti and Chebukati have been at loggerheads in the past week over arrival and handling of poll materials.
But Haji said that at the meeting, they “agreed to address all issues that may arise and that we will be well coordinated and be able to cooperate and collaborate to ensure that Kenyans are able to exercise their civil duty of going to a peaceful election come August 9.”
For IEBC, Chebukati said it is all system go and that the ballots and KIEMs kits will be in the centres by August 6.
“What we are currently undertaking is training of poll officials, which is ongoing in the constituencies. We are training poll agents, those who have been given to us by the candidates. We have election materials, which are strategic materials like ballot papers, they are coming in from the printers and we shall start deploying them to the field and they will be there on or before August 6 before the election,” he said.
“Of course the other materials involve Kiems kits, which we have also dispatched to the field, the exercise is ongoing.”
Interior CS Karanja Kibicho said the security sector has been working with the electoral commission and have all their needs and requests met.
All security needs of the commission, including deployment to the polling centres, warehouses and escort for transport caravans have been met.
“We have been working with IEBC over the last year or so, looking at their needs for transportation of their material, guarding of their venues, making sure that the materials in the warehouses are safe and the general security around the country and I can confirm that we are ready,” Kibicho said.
“We have deployed as requested by IEBC, we have deployed to the rest of the areas that are not concerned with elections outside the polling centres,” he added.
The National Police Service has said it will deploy up to 150,000 police officers to cover the elections.
Edited by Henry Makori