Arch-rivals in the political scene destroying each others campaign posters risk being arrested in a new effort by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission.
According to the electoral body’s Returning Officer in Nyeri Anastasia Nduku, the agency is ready to conduct a peaceful election.
Nduku said stern action would be taken against candidates found vandalizing the campaign materials of other candidates.
She said the IEBC would not tolerate election violence and was liaising with the DCI to bring to book candidates said to be behind such vandalism.
“We are well prepared to conduct free and fair elections. By the 9th of this month, we will begin to conduct civic education. We ask politicians to conduct peaceful campaigns. We shall not allow them to vandalize their rivals’ campaign materials,” she said.
Nduku said no major incidents of campaign violence had been reported in Nyeri County.
However, United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party candidate for the Kieni parliamentary seat Njoroge Wainaina, protested after his campaign materials valued at Sh2.4 million were destroyed by unknown vandals two weeks ago.
He said claimed goons hired by some of his opponents descended on billboards erected at strategic sites in the constituency and pulled them down while damaging others.