Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja has warned politicians and members of the public against interfering with the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election, saying anyone who disrupts the electoral process will face the full force of the law.
Speaking during a media briefing in Nairobi on Tuesday, Kanja said the National Police Service had put in place elaborate security measures ahead of Thursday's by-election, assuring residents that they would be able to exercise their democratic rights in a peaceful, secure and credible environment.
"As the Inspector General of the National Police Service, mine is a message of reassurance and an affirmation that the people of Ol Kalou are expected to exercise their democratic rights in a free, fair, peaceful, secure, and credible manner, guided by our Constitution and the laws of the land," he said.
Kanja announced that more than 1,000 police officers had been deployed across the constituency to secure the poll.
"We have over 1,000 police officers deployed to ensure that the by-election is adequately covered," he said.
He said all the 114 polling stations would have a minimum of two police officers, supported by larger security teams and specialized units to safeguard election materials, polling officials and voters throughout the exercise.
According to the Inspector General, the deployment includes four platoons of General Service Unit (GSU) officers, four platoons from the Anti-Stock Theft Unit, four water cannons and officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) tasked with intelligence gathering, investigations and prosecution of electoral offences.
"The National Police Service shall remain steadfast during the by-election process, ensuring that a guaranteed safety security exercise is carried out where the people of Ol Kalou have a chance to exercise their democratic rights in the best way possible in an environment of peace and security," he said.
Kanja issued a direct warning to politicians and individuals planning to disrupt the poll, saying security agencies would not tolerate any interference with the electoral process.
"And to our young people, my message to you is that do not allow yourselves to be misused by anyone," he said.
"Anyone who is interfering with the electoral process... we are not joking," he added.
The Inspector General said officers had been instructed to remain vigilant throughout the voting exercise to ensure law and order prevails before, during and after polling.
His remarks come amid heightened security concerns surrounding the Ol Kalou by-election following reports of violent clashes, voter intimidation, destruction of campaign materials and allegations of electoral malpractices during the campaign period.
Last week, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) warned that the poll could be postponed if violence continued, while Amnesty International Kenya called for investigations into election-related offences, including intimidation and attacks on rival supporters.
The Ol Kalou parliamentary seat fell vacant following the death of MP David Njuguna Kiaraho on March 29, 2026.