Kenya: Three injured at campaign rally in Marsabit July 27

Event

Three people were reportedly injured after police fired warning shots and tear gas to disperse hundreds of people after a campaign rally by President Uhuru Kenyatta. The president had concluded his rally and was no longer present at the location when the violence erupted. The incident occurred in the town of Marsabit in northern Kenya, where fighting reportedly broke out between supporters of the ruling Jubilee party and the Frontier Alliance Party. President Kenyatta had left the city before the violence broke out. Additional political rallies and other events are to be expected in the coming days as campaigning continues ahead of August 8 general elections; an increased security presence and possible violence should be anticipated surrounding any such events.

Context

General elections will take place across Kenya on Wednesday, August 8, with the electoral commission scheduled to announce the preliminary results before August 15. The Supreme Court will then be given time to consider any appeals related to the initial results, with the final results expected to be released before October 5.
Increased security is to be anticipated across the country (particularly in major urban hubs) in the coming weeks as the campaign period, which began on May 28, continues. Political rallies and demonstrations are expected, and outbreaks of violence cannot be ruled out.

Kenya's primary elections, which took place between April 13 and April 30, were marked by violence and numerous irregularities. More than 60 people were charged with electoral offenses following chaos and violence during party primaries. In Nairobi, one person was killed and another seriously injured during clashes between rival candidates. Similar violent scenes were reported in Migori and Busia (west), both areas that largely support the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), an opposition party lead by Raila Odinga. In Kisumu county, security forces reportedly used teargas to disperse hundreds of protesters that erected roadblocks and burned tires following the announcement of the county's election results on April 26. The Kenyan National Police Service has announced plans to recruit 10,000 additional police officers ahead of the August 8 elections.

Kenya has more recently experienced increasingly frequent bouts of sociopolitical and socioeconomic unrest, sectarian tensions, and inter-communal violence. The country has witnessed major demonstrations by public and private sector workers, as well as by opposition parties, in recent months. Security forces often use a heavy-handed approach in quelling protests.

Advice

Individuals in Kenya are advised to avoid all public gatherings (particularly polling stations or political events) due to the risk of violence and to monitor the situation. Additionally, those undertaking long-distance travel within the country are advised to consider traveling via plane (rather than ground travel) to minimize exposure to security threats.
 
On separate note, due to the significant terrorist threat, individuals present in Kenya are advised to remain vigilant, to report any suspicious objects or behavior to the relevant authorities, and to be particularly cautious when visiting sites deemed particularly likely to be targeted in an attack (government buildings, places of worship, tourist sites, etc.).