Over 1,000 police officers deployed in Ol Kalou amid fears of election malpractice

Police officers outside Salient High School ahead of the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election on July 15, 2026. [Kipsang Joseph]

Security has been heightened in Ol Kalou constituency ahead of the parliamentary by-election on Thursday.

Over 1,000 police officers, including specialised units, have been deployed to enhance security in the area, which has experienced electoral violence in recent years.

Learning in several schools that serve as polling stations will be disrupted by the exercise, scheduled to begin at 6 a. m. and end by 5 pm.

On Wednesday, Nyandarua County Commissioner Abdirisack Jaldesa directed the management of all the 73 public schools to close down the institutions to allow the exercise to take place.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) implemented strict security measures to ensure a free, fair, and credible election.

During the opening of pallets containing voting materials in Ol Kalou, IEBC commissioners Ann Nderitu and Hassan Noor Hassan confirmed that more than 1, 1,000 police officers have been assigned to secure the 144 polling stations across the constituency.

Hassan dismissed claims that the heavy police deployment was meant to intimidate voters, stating that the officers would be sparsely distributed and would not gather at individual polling stations.

"The officers are sparsely distributed and will not converge at one polling station.

Each polling station has been assigned a specific number of officers. Two officers will be stationed inside every polling station, while others will patrol outside," he said.

He emphasised that the officers had been deployed solely to maintain law and order and would not interfere with the voting process.

"This is a reassurance to Kenyans and residents that nobody will interfere with the voting process. That is why we have increased the number of officers by drawing from neighbouring counties. It has nothing to do with voter suppression. We guarantee everybody free access to vote," he added.

Hassan also announced that police had been instructed to impound all unmarked vehicles or vehicles without number plates found operating within the constituency.

"Anybody who has removed number plates from their vehicle and is moving around will have the vehicle impounded. Indeed, one vehicle has already been impounded, and its owner will be arraigned in court," he said.

He explained that the decision followed concerns raised during the campaign period after security agencies observed people moving around in unmarked vehicles. The directive to impound such vehicles was made on Tuesday.

However, a spot check by The Standard found that some vehicles without number plates were still being allowed into the constituency and were passing through police roadblocks.

Hassan said security personnel had also been deployed along roads leading into Ol Kalou to prevent outsiders from entering the constituency. He described the roadblocks as a precautionary measure to safeguard the integrity of the election.

He further noted that both uniformed and plain-clothes officers had been deployed, with officers in civilian attire tasked with detecting and preventing crime.

Commissioner Ann Nderitu confirmed that the by-election would use the updated voter register, which contains 73,480 registered voters. She said the register reflects all updates up to the death of former area MP David Kiaraho.

In a statement, the IEBC reiterated that all registered voters must present either a national identity card or a valid passport to vote.

The commission dismissed allegations that the voter register had been manipulated.

"The Register of Voters for the Ol Kalou Constituency by-election remains secure. Claims that the register has been manipulated are false, misleading and unsupported by evidence. The Commission condemns misleading and false claims and urges all stakeholders to refrain from spreading misinformation and disinformation," the statement read.

The IEBC said polling stations would open at 6 a.m. and close at 5 p.m. IEBC noted that any delays caused by unforeseen circumstances would be compensated to ensure voters receive the full polling period. All voters in the queue by 5 p.m. would be allowed to cast their ballots.

The commission also reminded voters that taking photographs or recording marked ballot papers inside polling booths is prohibited and constitutes an election offence under Section 7(3)(e) of the Election Offences Act, 2016.

The IEBC said it had worked closely with the National Police Service to establish adequate security arrangements for a peaceful and orderly election.

The security measures were agreed upon during a meeting attended by commissioners Ann Nderitu and Hassan Noor Hassan and Nyandarua County Commissioner Abdirisack Jaldesa.

Officials said the measures were intended to prevent outsiders from interfering with the electoral process.

Nderitu noted that recent by-elections had witnessed isolated incidents of violence but expressed confidence that adequate measures had been put in place to ensure a peaceful exercise.

"We have agreed with security agencies to protect voters during the by-election. We want to assure Kenyans that the exercise will be peaceful," she said.

She also ruled out manual voter identification, saying all Kenya Integrated Election Management System (KIEMS) kits had been tested and were fully functional.

"Our KIEMS kits are working, and that is why we are assuring the electorate that the by-election will be free and fair. Agents have been trained on the process, and we invite the media to work with us," she added.

County Commissioner Jaldesa defended the heavy police presence, saying residents should have no reason to fear.

"There is no reason to fear. This is standard security planning. We have to protect both the voters and residents as well," he said.

He confirmed that one vehicle without number plates had already been impounded and that its owner would be arraigned in court.

Despite the commission's assurances, Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua raised concerns over the deployment of more than 1,000 police officers to the constituency.

In a letter addressed to the Inspector General of Police, Gachagua said all deployed officers should be in full uniform, display their service numbers and use clearly marked police vehicles.

"They must not be hooded, and they must use clearly marked police vehicles," he stated.

He warned that should any violence occur in what he described as a peaceful constituency, responsibility would lie with the Inspector General and the police.

The United Democratic Alliance (UDA), however, dismissed Gachagua's concerns in a letter addressed to the IEBC.

"Panic has gripped Gachagua. He ought to realise that life is not premised on an individual's hallucinations. Shallow reasoning and its attendant noise must be swept aside. Ultimately, institutions are judged by their lawful actions, not by the volume of accusations hurled at them by those who seek to profit from chaos," the party said.

UDA urged the IEBC to conduct the Ol Kalou by-election professionally, transparently, and in accordance with the law, without yielding to what it termed 'blackmail, ultimatums, theatrics, or manufactured political crises'.