Lamu,KENYA:The National Cohesion and Integration Commission-NCIC has deployed cohesion monitors to all 47 counties as part of their planned efforts to deal with triggers of election chaos ahead of the August 8 polls.
Speaking in Lamu on Sunday,NCIC vice chair Irene Wanyoike said the monitors have been equipped with gadgets for video and audio recording and will monitor cases of incitement especially during campaign rallies and during the elections.
The commission said the monitors are part of the measures put in place to ensure peace and coexistence before, during and after elections.
Wanyoike said the commission had also partnered with all stakeholders including the office of the Inspector-General of Police Joseph Boinnet, the Judiciary, the Independent Policing and Oversight Authority-IPOA, the Offices of the Registrar of Political Parties and that of the Director of Public Prosecution and other bodies to ensure the forthcoming general elections are peaceful, free and fair.
She said the commission had already trained enough security officers in all the 47 counties to enable them handle any challenges that may arise during the elections.
The commissioner said she was also aware that the Judiciary has already dispatched two magistrates to Lamu County whose mandate will be to hear any election complaints and offenses.
She said NCIC had already kicked off trainings of peace committees in all the 47 counties to monitor the August 8 General Election.
“Our major aim is to ensure peace is maintained during and even after the August 8 elections. As NCIC, we have trained security officers including CIDs and selected individuals who will be our peace monitors. The peace monitors will work closely with the security teams. We have also equipped them with voice recorders and body cameras to enable them deal with electoral offences. The judiciary has also deployed magistrates in all the 47 counties. Here in Lamu, we have two such magistrates. I urge residents to report any electoral offences be it hate speech, incitement to violence, assault and damage to property to such authorities for action,” said Wanyoike.
Fellow NCIC commissioner Adan Abdi Mohammed said the commission had dispatched over 200 voice recorders and cameras in all the 47 counties to deal with inciters during campaigns and also during electionHe urged politicians to conduct peaceful campaigns.
“Politicians should ensure their utterances unite the citizens and country instead of dividing them. We are alert and those who will incite citizens in anyway will be recorded and videos captured and sent directly to the head office in Nairobi for action,” said Abdi.
