Acting Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiang’i has said the country is currently experiencing a very peaceful pre-election period. During a meeting with members of the fourth estate and election stakeholders including IEBC, in Nairobi, CS Matiang’i also affirmed the readiness of security organs ahead of the elections, “When you look at the data collected from all over the country over the years during preparations for elections, this is the most peaceful pre-election period we’ve ever had since independence,” affirmed Matiang’i.
He revealed that every morning officials in the security sector prepare and compare notes, and in terms of security ahead of the polls, there are no incidences to cause worry or alert, adding that they’re also following President Uhuru Kenyatta’s new directive, “The President, because of the burden of responsibility, directed last week that everyone in the security sector stays on duty and those who had been granted time off work had to be recalled and now we are working throughout,” said Matiang’i.
CS Matiang’i noted that they’ve mapped out various regions in the country perceived to be hotspots ahead of the polls, saying that they’ve noticed issues to be dealt with along the Kenya-Somalia border, Uasin Gishu County, and also cattle rustling issues in Laikipia and Baringo, “We mapped the country and looked at the hotspots where we suspect there’ll be disturbances either because of close contests or previous historical challenges to see if there is anything we need to deal with. Together with the Inspector General, we were told some leaflets were cited in some places in Uasin Gishu County and the security team has been there since 4 am.”