Police, prison officers conduct anti-riot drill in Nyanza

Security officers photo:courtesy

Security officers are being retrained on how to handle any election-related riots.

The refresher training involves regular and administration police officers as well their prison counterparts.

The officers, who trained near Kacho dumpsite, learnt various tackling riotous mobs.

The officers had to contend with a nauseating smell from the dumpsite yesterday as they went through the rigorous anti-riot drill overseen by various police commanders from the region.

Nyanza Regional Commissioner Wilson Njenga said anti-riot drills done ahead of every election "to harden officers".

County Commissioner Mohammed Maalim also termed the exercise a routine drill.

The officers play a key role in elections. They guarantee security from the time polling stations are opened, during the casting of ballots and counting. They also escort ballot boxes.

Mr Njenga said the training will help the officers understand their role in the process and assured that they are ready to ensure peaceful, free and fair elections. "We are looking forward to a peaceful day on August 8."

As the training went on, Deputy Governor Ruth Odinga claimed the police were being trained so that they can use force against voters and aspirants during elections.

"Kenya is not a police state. People are peaceful. They are just preparing to go into elections and they are not planning any violence," she said.

Ms Odinga also accused acting Interior CS Fred Matiang'i of making reckless statements.