Kaumara: Police must ensure polls safety

POLICE officers must ensure during the election that ordinary citizens cast their votes in a free, safe and fair environment.
Deputy director of the community policing Inspector David Kaumara said voters should be able to exercise the democratic right to participate in an election without coercion or intimidation.
The message is part of an awareness programme sponsored by the law and justice sector for K1.5 million to educate police officers on their responsibilities during the election period.
He said the duty of a police officer during an election was to maintain law and order – guided by the organic law on national and local level government elections and its regulations, the criminal code and the summary offences act. He said the police played an important role in ensuring every eligible voter should cast his or her choices without intimidation.
 of any sort.
The Electoral Commission is conducting a similar awareness.
He said the police were not election officials but were there to provide security for the polling officials and voters.