- Ipoa said they however recorded eight complaints which are being probed.
- The agency joins the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights which declared the polls as the most peaceful in decades, giving police a clean bill of health.
Image: GORDON OSEN
Independent Police Oversight Authority did not report any police-related fatalities in the August election, an assessment report has shown.
The report has said this is unlike in 2017 when Ipoa recorded 27 deaths and 75 injuries attributed to police action.
The report dubbed Ipoa Monitoring on Police Conduct during the August General Election was launched on Friday.
Ipoa said they however recorded eight complaints which are being probed.
“The police restrained themselves from using force, were polite and respectful when controlling crowds and cooperated with entities monitoring them,” the report said.
The agency joins the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights which declared the polls as the most peaceful in decades, giving police a clean bill of health.
Ipoa said it deployed 250 monitors across 46 counties to oversee the election.
It had also deployed some monitors to oversee the party primaries early in the year across 108 polling stations in 50 constituencies.
The report said police bosses made commendable efforts in ensuring officers were adequately trained on what they were supposed to do while guarding polling stations and centres.
It said the bosses were readily available for multi-sectoral collaboration in mapping the country, deploying adequately and ensuring centralised planning for a peaceful outcome.
“The monitoring revealed that the police in anticipation of various dynamics that could surround elections made several preparations in readiness for the elections. The preparations included training of officers, stakeholder engagement and development of police operation orders,” the report said.
“Though several security incidences were experienced arising from clashes of candidates’ supporters, the police contained the situation with minimum use of force with no casualties. There was no notable misconduct reported to the authority.”
The training involved senior commanders who then cascaded them to their juniors. They conducted anti-riot drills and technology-oriented operation skills in covering the polls.
During tense moments, the cops remained alert and swift in responding to any flare-up.
Ipoa said when attacks by unknown assailants were reported on August 11 in parts of Uasin Gishu, and demonstrations in Kondele, Kisumu after the announcement of presidential results on August 15, police were prompt and impartial in response.
“The police showed a lot of restraint which was commendable,” it said.
However, the authority faulted the police for breaching the law by failing to pin their identification badges on their shirts, making them unaccountable.
It said that apart from senior cops, all other officers did not have their names and service numbers pinned on them, an omission that was flagged and legislated against in the aftermath of the 2007 poll fiasco.
“It was notable that only commanders affixed their name tags or service numbers. All the junior officers however did not have their name tags or service numbers affixed. This was in contravention of provisions of Cap 43 para 1(2) of the service standing orders,” Ipoa said.
The agency, however, faulted IEBC for not catering adequately for the welfare of police officers.
They said their meals were not sufficiently provided for and transport logistics were not soundly arranged.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris