The Inspector General (IG) of Police Hilary Mutyambai today assured Kenyans that police are adequately prepared to discharge their duties in the course of the electoral cycle.
Speaking today at the Inspector General’s office, Jogoo house Nairobi, Mutyambai warned all those hell-bent on acts of criminality and lawlessness to refrain from crime.
“We have established a National Election Security Command Centre which is manned on a 24-hour basis and equipped to handle all situational analysis related to election security,” said the IG.
“Our Command Centre can be reached from the toll free telephone lines; 0779756606, 0779756616, 0779756617, 0779756606,” he added.
Further, Mutyambai said he established the National Police Service Election Security Secretariat with the express mandate to coordinate all activities on election preparedness in an effort to ensure proper coordination of all activities surrounding election security.
“The secretariat in collaboration with other stakeholders developed an election security manual, guidelines, and a training manual to enhance election security strategy development and address previous gaps in police operations during elections,” he stated.
Mutyambai revealed that since he launched the process of election security preparations in September 2021, the National Police Service embarked on a training and sensitization programme to ensure they are well prepared to handle all forms of threats to election security before, during and after the elections.
“To date, all police officers, including special police officers, Prison Warders, KWS, Forest and NYS, partner agencies who normally offer support to the National Police Service during General Election have been trained on election security,” said the IG.
“The key training areas include but are not limited to; risk and threat analysis, public order management, handling of gender based violence and police accountability,” he added.
Mutyambai said the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has also enhanced its capacity and capability, and further deployed officers to investigate all instances related to electoral malpractices.
“In an effort to remain objective, open and responsive to needs of the people, the Service through our tasked officers has and continues to engage the public through various media channels, including social media platforms, on the state of our security preparedness and also their role as citizens,” the IG maintained.
Mutyambai noted that to ensure smooth operations, the government has leased additional vehicles and operational equipment to ensure officers are well resourced and in a high state of readiness to handle all forms of threats that may arise before, during and after the General Elections.
“The Service through the Election Security Secretariat has been conducting continuous threat and risk analysis to identify emerging threats to National Security and inform on resource deployment in real-time during this electioneering period,” he disclosed, adding that such emerging threats shall be tackled promptly.
Mutyambai said that the service had developed an election security plan with critical input into Operation Orders and deployment plans by respective commands for the General Election.
“A total of 150,000 officers including special police officers drawn from partner security agencies such as Kenya Prisons Service, NYS, KWS and Kenya Forest Service will be deployed during the elections to ensure a safe environment for all residents in the country,” he added.
Mutyambai noted that Formed Police Units (FPUs) and a deployment of five air support teams, have been deployed in strategic locations to offer tactical support to general duty officers before, during and after the general elections.
“I urge all Kenyans to remain peaceful and be assured of a safe and secure General Election,” said the IG.
By Michael Mulinge and Wambui Muthoni
