Premium
Why ‘Nation’ should revisit the Ol Kalou by-election campaigns
Government officials, led by Energy Principal Secretary Alex Wachira, pose for a group photo with some residents of Ol Kalou who were presented with six-kilogram gas cylinders each on July 7, 2026.
What you need to know:
- While the voters ultimately exercised their right to pick their candidate of choice, it is the environment under which they voted that is worrying.
- On the violence, it is clear from the clips of the incidents that the hooded and armed gangs that terrorise and abduct Kenyans enjoy protection.
The Nation platforms have been relentless in exposing the criminal activities in Ol Kalou in the run-up to and during last week’s parliamentary by-election. Part of the outstanding coverage was an investigative report by NTV titled “The Ol Kalou crime scene: Unmasking the faces behind by-election bribery and chaos”.
The journalists trained their cameras on these individuals as they distributed cash at campaign meetings. Some of them later masked their faces, armed themselves and terrorised residents and their perceived rivals. The Nation team later revealed the faces and names behind the masks as well as the owner of at least one of the vehicles involved.
Congratulations to the NMG team for not giving up on the story even after the hooded and masked gunmen attacked and robbed the journalists of their equipment. This was the lowest moment for the media in the by-elections. The editors, too, must be commended for staying with the story and demanding action.
Unprecedented violence
It is telling that, even with endless calls for arrests, the individuals continue to walk free. Their faces are known, their names are known. What remains unknown is who sent them. Who arms them? And who pays them? This could explain why the security agencies are reluctant to arrest them.
Ol Kalou could be the last by-election – barring the death of a member of Parliament – before the General Election next year. In fact, it had been touted as the precursor of the General Election. Yet the campaigns, characterised by blatant bribery, abuse of State power and resources, and unprecedented violence, set a dangerous tone for the 2027 elections.
While the voters ultimately exercised their right to pick their candidate of choice, it is the environment under which they voted that is worrying, and which calls for a revisit. The biggest losers in Ol Kalou were not the candidate or party that failed to clinch the seat. Those will dust themselves and live to fight another day. The biggest loser is Kenya. The country has suffered a loss of its democratic values and the people’s right to free and fair elections has been significantly eroded.
In the run-up to the by-election, the media coverage tended to focus on the incidents of bribery and violence, without looking at their ultimate consequences. What does it mean for the country when candidates and parties are denied a level playing field? What does it mean when State resources are used to lure voters?
Hooded and armed gangs
It was not enough to document the massive bribery in the name of development. The media should return to these stories and ask the tough questions. What budget line or vote did the items distributed to residents of Ol Kalou come from? Why did the State target only Ol Kalou with the so-called development projects? Who were the Cabinet secretaries and State officers involved in these activities, and why were they not called out and charged with abuse of office? What do the election rules say about the conduct of State officers during an election period? Why did the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) look away as these crimes and irregularities were being committed? Was the commission an enabler of these malpractices?
On the violence, it is clear from the clips of the incidents that the hooded and armed gangs that terrorise and abduct Kenyans enjoy protection. The investigation must go beyond unmasking the individuals to reveal the powerful people behind them. The leaders paying lip service to the issue should be called out.
If the Ol-Kalou by-election was indeed an early mini version of the General Election next year, then the media must revisit their coverage to take lessons for the future. Kenyans will be counting on them to do more than document events and activities. They must call out the big fish behind the malpractices and demand action from IEBC, as well as the security and anti-corruption agencies.
Contact the Public Editor to raise ethical concerns or request a review of published material. Reach out: Email: [email protected]. Mobile number: 0741978786.
