A lorry carrying officers from the General Service Unit (GSU) was turned back after residents denied it entry into one of the polling centres in Ol Kalou.
In a video seen by Nairobileo.co.ke, some voters at the Ol Kalou Comprehensive School polling centre politely refused to give way to the lorry full of GSU officers.
The cordial exchange between the officers and the residents led the driver to turn back, as the residents who vowed to 'protect their vote' clapped. Nobody was injured during the incident.
In a separate incident, an official from the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) inspected the bags and vehicle of police officers manning one of the polling centres.
The official asked the police officers to open their bags and disclose their contents after residents raised suspicion that they could be carrying election materials. However, nothing other than personal effects was found in the officer's bags.
Read More
Earlier, residents also confronted individuals believed to be plainclothes police officers patrolling Ol Kalou Town.
Meanwhile, Central Regional Police Commander Joshua Nkanatha assured the area's residents of security during the mini poll. He further urged the residents to work with the police to uncover any incidents that threaten their safety.
"We are everywhere, and our core mandate is to ensure security. I urge citizens to come out in large numbers and exercise their democratic right; there is no cause for fear.
"If the residents encounter anything that seems out of place, they should file a report at the nearest police station or to any of the officers deployed across the constituency," Nkanatha reiterated.
On July 15, the National Police Service (NPS) Inspector General Douglas Kanja confirmed that more than 1,000 police officers would be deployed to Ol Kalou ahead of the by-election.
Kanja stated that the deployment included the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), GSU, and the Anti-Stock Theft Unit officers.
He added that more than 100 officers would be deployed to each of the 14 polling centres, and that other officers would be on standby to respond to any security threat.
