1,205 additional police officers sent to Nyanza to facilitate voting

Security in Nyanza and Western Kenya regions was beefed up with just hours to the October 26 repeat presidential election.According to reports, at least 1,205 police officers have been in the Nyanza region. Another 460 police officers were sent to Western Kenya to back up the officers already in the region. Mombasa county received a further 82 officers.Residents said they had seen contingents of police officers arriving in Kisumu.Kisumu has seen chaos in recent weeks after NASA protesters violently clashed with anti-riot officers.President Uhuru Kenyatta has assured Kenyans that they will get proper security during the election.

Addressing journalists at Nyanza Regional Headquarters in Kisumu, Regional Commissioner Wilson Njega vowed to deal with those "plotting chaos before, during and after the exercise".

"Nobody has been coerced to vote. It is your right to vote or not to vote.

"If you have no business at the polling stations tomorrow (Thursday), it's better if you stay at home," Njega said.

Speaking at Uhuru Park in Nairobi, Nasa leader Raila Odinga said:

"Do not participate in any way in the sham election. Convince everyone else not to participate in the election."

The Regional Commissioner also warned youth against barricading roads. The polls come in the wake of heightened political tension.