About 1,000 General Service Unit officers have been deployed in Migori ahead of the Monday senatorial by election polls.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission(IEBC) confirmed that preparations were due, with distribution of election materials and election officers and clerks being due Sunday.
Some residents are now worried of the number of officers deployed with some now arguing out that the situation looks similar with that of the past 2017 polls.
The number of GSU who have arrived in Migori town on the eve of Senatorial by-election is worrying. It’s like we are back to August 2017 once again
— Nickoluoch (@nickoluoch) October 7, 2018
According to security authorities, each of the 826 polling stations in the county will be manned by at least two police officers.
County police boss Joseph Nthenge said his officers will make sure order and peace is maintained during the by-election.
“We have mapped out the hotspots and our deployment in those areas will be different,” he told journalists.
Some of the officers have been brought in from the neighbouring counties to assist in security surveillance.
Migori has been notorious for violence during campaigns and elections although minimal fracas was reported in this mini poll campaigns.
IEBC commissioner, Prof Abdi Guliye, said presiding officers, their deputies and clerks will report to their work stations on Sunday.
“They will move with ballot papers, boxes and other materials to the polling stations,” he said.
The Migori senate race is seen as a two-horse race between ODM’s Ochillo Ayacko and Federal Party of Kenya candidate Eddy Oketch.
Other candidates cleared for the seat are Peter Jobando (Green Congress Party), Solomon Hodo Rugaria (People’s Democratic Party), Samwel Otieno (independent) and Dickson Ogolla (independent).
But Mr Hodo withdrew from the contest to back Mr Oketch.
The seat fell vacant following the death of Mr Ben Oluoch Okello who succumbed to throat cancer.
Migori County has about 388,000 registered voters.