Police officers assigned to safeguard elections should not be forced to miss out on voting because of their deployment, Senator Edwin Sifuna has said as he pressed for reforms to protect the electoral rights of security personnel across the country.
Speaking in the Senate on Wednesday, the Nairobi senator sought a statement from the Standing Committee on Justice, Legal Affairs and Human Rights and Foreign Relations, calling for an update on measures being considered to enable police officers and other security personnel to vote even when they are deployed far from the polling stations where they are registered.
Sifuna argued that although Article 38 of the Constitution guarantees every Kenyan the right to vote by secret ballot, many officers are unable to exercise that right because they spend election day maintaining security in locations away from their designated polling centres.
He said the country has made progress in the use of election technology and has already introduced voting arrangements for Kenyans living abroad, adding that similar approaches should be considered to ensure security officers are not left out of the electoral process.
“Denying these officers the opportunity to exercise their franchise while they safeguard the democratic process for others is a clear case of disenfranchisement that must be addressed,” he told the House.
The senator asked the committee to state the legal, administrative and policy measures that the State Law Office and the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) are pursuing to make it possible for serving officers to cast their votes during elections.
He further requested details on the safeguards that would guarantee officers the freedom to vote fairly and by secret ballot without pressure, intimidation or coercion from their commanding officers.
Sifuna also sought clarification on whether officers required to travel to their polling stations would receive logistical support, including transport and adequate time away from duty to enable them to vote.
He maintained that any arrangements introduced should uphold officers' constitutional rights while ensuring security operations during elections continue without disruption.
In another request before the Senate, Sifuna turned attention to the plight of sugarcane farmers supplying Nzoia Sugar Company in Bungoma County, saying they continue to grapple with delayed payments, historical arrears, corruption in the issuance of harvesting permits and inadequate welfare support.
He said the long-standing challenges facing the company have fuelled repeated protests by farmers and residents concerned about their livelihoods and the future of the miller.
The senator asked the Standing Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries to explain when outstanding arrears would be settled and what plans are in place to guarantee prompt payment to farmers going forward.
He also sought information on measures to ensure leaseholders meet their obligations to workers and neighbouring communities through fair labour practices and proper remuneration.
Sifuna further called for action to eliminate corruption in the issuance of cane harvesting permits and asked for measures to protect communities that provided land for factories and estates through improved milling services, employment opportunities and sustainable development.