Isiolo residents urged to keep peace after polls
An elderly man casts vote at Waso Primary polling station in Isiolo North on August 9, 2022. Isiolo residents have been urged to keep peace after the polls.
Security stakeholders at a joint security command centre for handling election-related issues have asked residents to maintain peace as vote counting continues.
Tension has been high over delayed tallying, especially in Isiolo town, where the Isiolo North constituency and county IEBC tallying centres are located.
General Service Unit (GSU) officers were deployed to guard the two centres at Isiolo Boys and Isiolo Girls high schools collating results for seven MCA, three MP and the governor seats.
As of Thursday mid-morning, the electoral agency had not announced winners in the governor, senator, woman rep, Isiolo North MP and seven ward representative races.
The stakeholders, including clerics and civil society groups, asked politicians seeking elective seats and their supporters to give the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) ample time to conclude the process.
The centre at the Isiolo Police Station is supported by World Peace Service through Isiolo Peace Link. Besides handling emerging election-related issues to prevent violence, it also responds to insecurity cases.
During a meeting at the centre to assess Tuesday’s elections, Isiolo Assistant County Commissioner Samuel Gichohi called for calm and restraint from politicians and residents regardless of the outcome of the elections.
“We are keen on ensuring the remaining process is finalised in a peaceful manner,” Mr Gichohi said.
Isiolo Interfaith Network chair Ahmed Sett and Isiolo Peace Link Executive Director Abdia Mohammud asked politicians to tell their supporters to maintain peace regardless of who wins.
“I call upon those who lose to concede defeat or seek legal redress if aggrieved and not to incite our people,” said Mr Sett, who is also the treasurer of the National Council of Elders.
The winners, Ms Mohammud said, must celebrate moderately and peacefully so as not to provoke the losers into violence.
The centre was instrumental in handling a conflict at one polling station in Burat ward on Tuesday that arose a few hours after voting was concluded.
The centre has two standby ambulances temporarily donated by the Kenya Red Cross and the Star of Hope Association to respond to and boost emergency response.
Ms Mohammud said the centre has a situation room for women to handle gender-based violence during the elections. She said it had also aided in fast reporting and response to non-election issues such as fires and cattle rustling, which are still rife in the region.
Residents can report emerging issues via the toll-free number 0800721519.
Isiolo County mental health expert Diba Galma said the centre has partnered with the Health department to provide psychosocial support to those affected.
