By Joseph Masha

Kilifi County

 Security personnel are on high alert after the outlawed Mombasa Republican Council (MRC) distributed leaflets in parts of Kilifi County warning residents not to participate in nominations.

And the Provincial Administration is warning the separatist group not to disrupt the national exercise. “We have received some leaflets distributed by members of MRC at Mazeras in Rabai District and at Junju in Bahari District where the illegal group is warning people against participating in the nominations today and we are warning them against doing that,” said Kilifi County Commissioner Erastus Ekidor.

MRC, which wants to break away the Coast Province and declare an independent state, opposes elections in the province and recently lost a petition in court to have the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) hold a self-determination referendum in the area instead.

Speaking to The Standard in his office yesterday morning, Mr Ekidor said they had enough police officers who will be deployed at the different polling centres to maintain peace during the exercise.

“We held a security meeting on Tuesday where we also discussed the distribution of the MRC leaflets instructing people not to participate in the nominations and we have put measures in place to control any acts of hooliganism,” Ekidor said.

He said police officers had been instructed to deal firmly with people found interfering with the exercise.

He said the election boards of CORD and Jubilee had requested for security from the Government during the exercise and urged all aspirants to conduct their affairs peacefully.

counter attempts

Ekidor also challenged voters to maintain peace during the voting process and leave the stations as soon as they are done casting their votes.

He urged party leaders to solve any disputes,  before and after the nomination to avoid conflicts.

At the same time, Coast PPO Aggrey Adoli warned that police will use force against anyone who disrupts the exercise.

Adoli said the provincial security team was prepared to counter attempt to cause chaos. “We don’t expect any disruption, but in case of any, serious action will be taken,” said Adoli.

On Tuesday security authorities said they had identified Kisauni and Changamwe constituencies as hotspots where violence could break out. He claimed gangs had been formed to intimidate rival aspirants.