Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja has announced the deployment of more than 1,000 police officers to Ol Kalou Constituency ahead of the parliamentary by-election scheduled for Thursday, July 16, 2026.
Speaking to the press on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, following a multi-agency security meeting attended by officials from the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), Kanja said the National Police Service (NPS) had put in place comprehensive security measures to guarantee a peaceful, free, fair and credible election.
"The people of Ol Kalou are expected to exercise their democratic rights in a free, fair, peaceful, secure, and credible manner, as guided by our Constitution and the laws of the land," Kanja said.
The Inspector General revealed that all 114 polling stations across the constituency have been adequately staffed with security personnel in accordance with the National Police Service's deployment procedures.
According to Kanja, each polling station will have at least two police officers tasked with safeguarding election materials, securing the voting process and ensuring that IEBC officials perform their duties without interference.
"Their work shall be to safeguard the voting materials and the voting process itself while offering adequate security at every polling station and ensuring electoral officials perform their duties without hindrance," he stated.
To reinforce security, Kanja said additional support teams comprising no fewer than 14 officers have been strategically positioned to respond swiftly to any emerging incidents.
He further announced the deployment of four platoons from the General Service Unit (GSU), four platoons from the Anti-Stock Theft Unit (ASTU), as well as four water cannons to support crowd management if required.
The Inspector General also confirmed that officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have been assigned to gather intelligence, investigate electoral offences, arrest suspects and facilitate the prosecution of individuals involved in election-related malpractice.
"The Directorate of Criminal Investigations has been sufficiently deployed, with its mandate focusing on intelligence gathering, investigations, arrests, and prosecution of any individual involved in electoral malpractice," Kanja said.
He reaffirmed the National Police Service's commitment to maintaining law and order throughout the electoral process and urged residents to remain peaceful and cooperate with security agencies.
"The National Police Service shall remain steadfast during the by-election process, ensuring that the people of Ol Kalou have an opportunity to exercise their democratic rights in an environment of peace, safety, and security," he added.
The deployment comes amid heightened political tensions in the constituency following reports of campaign-related violence and allegations of attacks targeting opposition supporters. Authorities have maintained that the security measures are intended to ensure all voters participate in the by-election without intimidation or disruption.
