TOM OTIENO | NATION
A security officer guards voting materials after they arrived at a
warehouse in Kisumu Monday. The materials, at 17 regional warehouses,
are being forwarded to polling stations.
By NATION Team newsdesk@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Monday, August 2 2010 at 21:00
Posted Monday, August 2 2010 at 21:00
In Summary
- 63,000 police officers deployed to guard election materials and voters as ballot papers sent to constituencies
Kenya is ready and raring to go for Wednesday’s vote on the proposed constitution.
Voters, security agencies and the electoral commission were all set for the big day Monday.
Nearly
70,000 police officers have been sent to different parts of the country
to guard voting centres and make sure the people are safe during and
after the poll.
Police have also set up 10 hotlines for
people to report any security threats. Up to 63,000 personnel from
regular, administration and special police officers will provide
security during the referendum.
At the same time, the
Independent Interim Electoral Commission decreed an end to campaigns and
warned against political advertising and any canvassing for votes.
This is in accordance with the law, which requires campaigns to cease 24 hours before voting day.
The
meteorological department, meanwhile, predicted a rainy election day
for voters in Western and parts of Coast and Rift Valley provinces.
For those in Nairobi and surrounding areas, it will be a cold day in the queues.
The IIEC started the distribution of voting materials to all the 26,000 polling centres by Monday.
And
the government, in addition to declaring August 4 a holiday, gave
public servants who need to travel far to cast their ballots the
afternoon off Tuesday to ensure they reach the polling stations in time
to vote.
IIEC confirmed it had delivered all voting
materials to its 17 regional warehouses from where they will be moved to
respective constituency warehouses for onward movement to the polling
centres.
The materials, which include ballot papers, will be under police escort and will be guarded until the voting is completed.
Said
police spokesman Eric Kiraithe: “We have made adequate security
arrangements around the country for the day. Security personnel will be
alert. We believe all will be well.”
The Kenya Power
and Lighting Company said it had taken adequate measures to ensure the
national vote tallying centre at the Bomas of Kenya is not affected by
blackouts.
“We have made arrangements and there is a
special team from tomorrow that will monitor Bomas of Kenya to ensure
that no blackouts affect the tallying of results. Even though we don’t
foresee any problems, the emergency crews will be on standby,” Mr Kevin
Sang, a KPLC communications officer, said.
On Monday,
politicians in the ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ camps used the last hours of the
official campaign period to reach out to more voters.
President
Kibaki and a team of the “Greens” were in Kitui and later addressed a
rally in Kirigiti in Kiambu in their determination to push through the
proposed constitution.
Prime Minister Raila Odinga addressed the nation on all radio stations urging the public to vote ‘Yes’ on Wednesday.
Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka was back in Kathiani, Machakos, two days after a crowd at a ‘No’ rally heckled him.
Saying
that he was saddened by the Friday event, Mr Musyoka said: “I have been
in Kathiani before and reception has always been good. I have every
reason to believe that those who shouted at us were not people from
here.”