We have no role in management, conduct of elections KDF

The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) now says that it has no role to play in the management and conduct of the General Election set for tomorrow (August 8).

In an affidavit by Brigadier Fredrick Lokia, KDF says there is no directive or order that has been issued to the Defense Forces or its Units for Operations intended to disenfranchise Kenyans or a section thereof or to participate in the management of the elections.

“However, the need to protect and safeguard the maintenance of national security as defined under Article 238 (1) remains an enduring tenant that cannot under any circumstances be abdicated to the detriment of Kenyans,” says Lokia.

In his capacity as the Chief of Operations, Lokia says the Cabinet Secretaries for Interior and Co-ordination of National Government and Defense have no powers to deploy the Kenya Defense under any circumstances.

He says that the joint exercise “Dumisha Utulivu” which was conducted publicly on June 9, 2017 and June 23, 2017 was a multi-agency exercise that was intended to train and evaluate the national security that include but are not limited to external threats such as the possible of activities of Al Shabaab.

“I verily believe that multi-agency approach to national security is a constitutional imperative by virtue of Article 240(6)(a) of the Constitution,” states Lokia.

He was responding to a case in which NASA filed a suit seeking to stop the deployment of military for security operations during polls saying that it will scare away voters.

In the application, NASA claims that deployment of military in specific areas without the approval of Parliament is illegal and aimed at intimidating voters and denying them the right to vote freely.

A three-Judge bench ruled that the urgency of the case raises serious constitutional issues which ought to be determined by the court.

NASA, during the hearing of the case, said that the urgency seems to have been obliterated by the response of the KDF which has given an assurance that there is no intended immediate deployment of military during the elections.

However, the question of when the military can be deployed remain a core question. The case will be heard on the September 22.