Over 1,000 Police Officers Deployed Ahead of Ol Kalou By-election

Kenya, 14 July 2026 - More than 1,000 police officers have been deployed to Ol Kalou Constituency to provide security during Thursday's parliamentary by-election, Inspector-General of Police Douglas Kanja has said.

Speaking during a multi-agency security briefing convened by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), Mr Kanja assured voters that the National Police Service (NPS) had put in place adequate security measures to guarantee a peaceful, free and credible poll.

He said the officers, drawn from the regular police service and specialised units including the General Service Unit (GSU), Anti-Stock Theft Unit (ASTU) and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), will secure polling stations, election officials, election materials and respond swiftly to any security incidents.

"We are fully prepared to ensure that the by-election is conducted in a peaceful and secure environment," Mr Kanja said, urging residents to exercise their democratic rights peacefully and refrain from actions that could disrupt the electoral process.

The by-election, scheduled for July 16, will fill the Ol Kalou parliamentary seat.

During the briefing, IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon said the commission had completed all logistical and administrative preparations for the vote, including training election officials, verifying the voter register and deploying election materials and technology.

He reminded candidates, political parties and supporters that the official campaign period had ended and urged all stakeholders to comply with electoral laws on polling day.

The security meeting brought together representatives from the IEBC, the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) and other agencies involved in election preparedness.

The agencies reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring the by-election is conducted in a peaceful, transparent and credible manner.

Mr Kanja was accompanied by Deputy Inspector-General of the Kenya Police Service Eliud Lagat, Deputy Inspector-General of the Administration Police Service Gilbert Masengeli, Director of Criminal Investigations Mohamed Amin and National Police Service spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga.