Acting Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi has declared Wednesday 25 October a public holiday to allow Kenyans to participate in Thursdays election.

In a gazette notice to the public, the CS has said that the move is in the interest of allowing people who will participate in the repeat polls reach their polling centres.

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In the run up to the August 8 general elections, only a day – voting day – was provided for as a holiday and the new announcement by Dr Matiang’i deviates from the obvious.

Meanwhile, Dr Matiang’i on Monday reiterated that Kenyans who will be taking part in the highly protracted exercise will be protected by the police.

Dr Matiangi also warned politicians against holding gatherings after the timelines gazetted by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission to campiagn.

According to a gazette notice by the electoral body, campaigns concluded on Tuesday ahead of Thursday’s fresh presidential election.

“We have not abandoned any of our laws; they are all in place. The Public Order Act was even amended in 2016 by Parliament,” Dr Matiang’i said on Monday.

Dr Matiang’i’s directive comes even as Nasa brigade mull on the possibility of resuming demonstrations to call for boycott of repeat polls.

“They (politicians) enact the laws and they give them to us; some of those who are trying to subvert the institutions are the ones who amended the Election Offences Act… they understand the Penal Code; they understand in keeping IEBC officials from conducting an election is an election offence,” he asserted.

He added: “Let us now operate very strictly according to the law. We all need order in this society, and good order.”

The CS said as much it is in the law for Kenyans to demonstrate, it should be done peacefully.

“Which part of the law allows you to hurl stones at a police station?” he asked. “There is a clear difference between rioters and demonstrators. We are not foolish people.”