Meru: Female candidates assured of additional security

Mombasa Woman Rep aspirant Zamzam Mohamed campaigns on the streets of Mombasa after receiving a clearance certificate from the IEBC. In Meru, women candidates will get extra security as they campaign.

Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group

What you need to know:

  • Meru County Commissioner Fred Dunga, has said female candidates should be protected at all times so that they are free to express their democratic right.
  • Woman Rep Kawira Mwangaza had complained that hired goons were threatening her on the campaign trail.

Meru County Commissioner Fred Dunga, has ordered police officers to provide extra security to female candidates as campaigns for the August 9 poll intensifies.

Mr Dunga said female candidates should be protected at all times so that they are free to express their democratic right and to level the ground for all those vying for various seats.

Woman Rep Kawira Mwangaza had complained that hired goons were threatening her on the campaign trail.

Speaking when Public Service and Gender Cabinet Secretary Margaret Kobia commissioned the Meru Mwangaza Gender-Based Violence Rescue and Resource Centre on Friday, Ms Mwangaza said male candidates were intimidating their female counterparts by hiring goons to attack them.

Organising criminals

“They are organising criminals to attack us and we’re facing a big challenge because we can’t campaign freely,” she said.

Mr Dunga said authorities would not allow some people to disrupt the peace during the campaigns and the elections and that security personnel would deal with perpetrators of violence.

“Anyone caught attacking or arranging to disrupt meetings of other candidates will be arrested and charged,” Mr Dunga said.

He urged candidates to stick to their campaign schedules as filed with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) and maintain peace.

“We will protect you but you should also ensure you operate within the IEBC guidelines. For instance, you should not campaign past 6pm because it will be difficult for us to guarantee your security at night,” he said.