Deputy Inspector General of the Administration Police Service Gilbert Masengeli has warned politicians and other electoral actors against hate speech, tribalism and election-related violence ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Speaking on behalf of Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, Masengeli said the National Police Service was strengthening its preparedness to ensure peaceful elections and urged political leaders and citizens to act responsibly as the country approaches the electioneering period.
Speaking during a multi-agency engagement forum on the 2027 General Election at a Nairobi hotel on Tuesday, he said early planning and cooperation among stakeholders were critical to preventing electoral violence.
“The National Police Service has developed an election preparedness roadmap covering the period before, during and after the general election,” Masengeli said.
He said the roadmap prioritised cooperation with electoral stakeholders, professional and impartial policing, accountability, non-discrimination and adherence to the rule of law.
Masengeli said police were drawing lessons from previous elections to improve security planning and strengthen their capacity to respond to potential threats throughout the electoral cycle.
The preparations include coordinating security operations in line with electoral laws and regulations, developing deployment and communication plans, training security personnel and protecting electoral officials, infrastructure and processes.
The roadmap will also guide security arrangements during political party primaries, campaigns, election week and the post-election period.
Masengeli said preparations were already underway, adding that he had convened senior police commanders from across the country for a meeting on Thursday and Friday to review election readiness and assess security arrangements.
He said the changing nature of security threats required regular assessments and adjustments to ensure police were prepared to respond to emerging risks.
Masengeli said cooperation among state agencies, political parties, civil society organisations and other stakeholders would help identify early warning signs and improve responses to potential electoral violence and human rights violations.
He said the police would continue working with other institutions to promote peaceful elections and warned that the service would enforce the law against those who engaged in unlawful activities.
“The National Police Service will continue to enforce all laws of the land as mandated by the Constitution,” he said.
The forum comes as electoral stakeholders step up preparations for the 2027 General Election amid concerns over political violence, human rights violations and electoral malpractice.
The engagement seeks to strengthen accountability among electoral actors, encourage political parties to participate in peace initiatives and establish a framework for coordinated responses to human rights violations.
It follows the launch of the National Cohesion and Integration Commission’s (NCIC) Elections Bila Noma peace campaign on August 25, 2026, which seeks to mobilise Kenyans to support a peaceful electoral process.
The initiative builds on the Amani National Conference held on September 14 and 15, 2026, and seeks to encourage political parties and other electoral actors to embrace peaceful competition ahead of the polls.
The forum was organised by the NCIC, the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC), the Political Parties Liaison Committee (PPLC) and the Inter-Religious Council of Kenya (IRCK).
