A special police force will be set up to bolster security ahead of elections. Police spokesman Erick Kiraithe made the announcement in Mombasa on Wednesday. This, he said, are among the measures police will put in place to avoid a repeatof the 2007-08 post-election violence.

"Special officers will be appointed under the law as part of the police force to man elections in the country. But there is no guarantee that ex-soldiers will be brought on board though they shall be given consideration," he said.

He added that members of the prisons department, national youth service and citizens of good morals will be given priority. This comes days after the National Council of Churches of Kenya called on the government to consider hiring retired army and police officers, who are experienced to manage the general election. Kiraithe was speaking at the ICJ conference in Mombasa on Wednesday.