- NCIC Commissioner Sam Kona and KEPSA CEO Carole Kariuki are of the opinion that the elections and the period since passed without any large-scale outbreaks of violence.
- The pair specifically lauded NPS for taking all steps to ensure free and fair elections and maintaining law and order during the polls despite coming under a lot of pressure during the electioneering period.
The just concluded August 9 polls will go down in Kenya's history as one of the most peaceful elections ever held in the country.
This is according to National Cohesion and Integration Commission of Kenya (NCIC) Commissioner Sam Kona and Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) CEO Carole Kariuki who are of the opinion that the elections and the period since passed without any large-scale outbreaks of violence.
Speaking on Citizen TV's NewsNight show on Tuesday, the pair specifically lauded the National Police Service (NPS) for taking all steps to ensure free and fair elections and maintaining law and order during the polls despite coming under a lot of pressure during the electioneering period.
The police service has often been accused of using excessive force in response to demonstrations pertaining to election results in the past, including the firing of live ammunition at protesters.
" Judging by what I observed at the Bomas of Kenya, they (police) behaved very well. They were present in most of the places that required them to intervene, they were not very aggressive in their responses even when they were provoked by some groups and whenever there was an incident, the police handled it in a more professional and humane way," said Mr. Kona.
"We have not heard of police shooting citizens that are demonstrating, we have seen them push them back, remove blockades and bonfires...so I would say the performance of the police in this election has been significantly improved and also they have displayed a of impartiality as expected of them as security forces."
His sentiments were shared by Ms. Kariuki, who despite ceding that some police officers are currently being probed by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) over their conduct at the polls, noted that the men and women in blue had, by and large, done a commendable job in maintaining law and order at the ballot.
"The police have done a commendable job in our elections. We are always complaining about the police for using excessive force but this time there is a notable difference," she said.
She likewise reiterated that the police force should now move forward with the same level of professional conduct and not renege on their constitutional duty to maintain law and order.
Thank you, come again!