NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 16 – Fresh questions have emerged over the identity of heavily armed masked men who stormed the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election in a convoy of unmarked vehicles on Thursday, assaulting journalists and dispersing residents with teargas just hours after the same vehicles were seen ferrying plainclothes officers carrying teargas launchers.
The unidentified men, dressed in balaclavas and armed with firearms, arrived in at least five Toyota Land Cruisers, double-cab pickup and a saloon car before confronting members of the public in chaotic scenes that escalated tensions at the closely watched by-election.
Several journalists covering the poll reported being assaulted, while cameras and other equipment were confiscated during the operation.
“They have taken my camera and assaulted me,” one journalist said, displaying a leg injury he said was caused by a teargas canister fired during the confrontation.
The identity of the armed men and the agency under whose authority they were operating remained unclear by Thursday afternoon, fuelling questions over the nature of the security operation.
Earlier in the day, the same unmarked Toyota Prado vehicles had been observed transporting plainclothes officers equipped with teargas launchers around the constituency, although authorities had not identified the officers or the units to which they belonged.
The developments appeared to contradict assurances by Central Regional Commissioner Joshua Nkanatha, who earlier dismissed claims that security agencies were using unmarked vehicles during the poll.
“Anyone driving a vehicle without number plates is breaking the law. Police vehicles have registration plates, including my own official vehicle. If we find any vehicle operating without number plates, it will be impounded and taken to the police station,” Nkanatha told journalists.
He, however, confirmed that detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) had been deployed in civilian attire as part of the election security operation.
“The DCI officers are here with us, and you know they normally operate in civilian clothing. We cannot say we do not have officers in civilian clothes because that is how DCI officers carry out their duties,” he said.
His remarks came after DCP Deputy Party Leader Cleophas Malala alleged that vehicles without registration plates had been seen moving around the constituency, while party leader Rigathi Gachagua demanded that all officers deployed for election duty wear uniforms, display service numbers and use clearly marked police vehicles.
Authorities had not, by Thursday afternoon, issued an official statement identifying the masked men or explaining the operation that culminated in the assault on journalists and members of the public.