“We will not deploy officers at Linda Mwananchi rally, but we will be alert” - Nakuru county police commander Samuel Boit

Police in Nakuru have cleared the Linda Mwananchi Tour to proceed on Sunday, with County Police Commander Samuel Boit saying officers will adopt a low-profile approach and only intervene if the situation demands it.

The tour, now in its Nakuru edition, kicks off with a morning church service at Kivumbuni PAG Church in Nakuru Town East from 10am to 1pm, before a mega rally at Mazembe Grounds in Nakuru Town West scheduled from 2pm to 5pm.

Boit notes that organizers followed the correct procedure ahead of the event.

"They notified us and were given a go-ahead," he says, adding that the clearance came with one firm condition — that peace prevails throughout the day.

On the question of a visible police presence, the commander says officers will not be stationed at the venues. He opines that deploying uniformed police at the rally grounds could unsettle participants and cause them to abandon the programme.

Instead, he says, officers will keep watch from a distance and monitor proceedings as they unfold.

"Any time there is something that warrants our attention, we will swing into action. We will not shy off," Boit says, insisting they will be available on a needs basis and that any escalation will draw an immediate response.

The commander calls for a peaceful tour, urging all those attending to conduct themselves with decorum.