The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has warned that it could postpone or even cancel the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election if insecurity, voter bribery and other breaches of the Electoral Code of Conduct continue during the ongoing campaigns.
The by-election is scheduled for July 16.
Speaking in Nairobi on Thursday during the launch of the 2022 Pre-Election Dispute Resolution Committee Report and Case Digest, IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon said the commission had received disturbing reports of widespread electoral malpractices and security concerns that threaten the integrity of the poll.
“We have received disturbing reports of widespread irregularities that threaten to compromise the credibility of the exercise. In the event that, working together with security agencies and other stakeholders, we find that the environment is not conducive for us to conclude the by-election in Ol Kalou, we will have no choice but to take the unfortunate and drastic step of postponing or cancelling the exercise altogether,” Mr Ethekon warned.
He said the commission would not hesitate to invoke its constitutional powers if the situation on the ground continued to deteriorate.
“We condemn incidents of violence, voter bribery, destruction of campaign materials and the alleged use of hired goons during the ongoing campaigns in Ol Kalou. We will be very firm in enforcing the Electoral Code of Conduct,” he added.
Mr Ethekon revealed that the commission had already commenced investigations into allegations of voter bribery, violence and other electoral offences.
"We have summoned leaders from both camps to appear before us tomorrow (Friday). We will ask them tough questions about what is happening. The Electoral Code of Conduct Enforcement Committee will hear them before making a decision," he said.
He added that the commission had dispatched investigation teams to Ol Kalou to gather evidence on allegations of voter bribery, illegal night campaigns, violence and the presence of suspected criminal gangs.
The evidence will be analysed and used by the Electoral Code of Conduct Enforcement Committee in making its determination.
Among the issues under investigation are allegations of voter bribery, campaigns conducted outside the legally permitted hours and the death of a person in Ol Kalou on July 1 under circumstances believed to be linked to heightened political activity.
The commission is also probing claims that hired goons have been deployed to intimidate voters and disrupt campaign activities.
Mr Ethekon further confirmed that the commission was aware of a video circulating on social media allegedly showing Nakuru East MP David Gikaria mobilising voters through cash incentives in exchange for national identity cards.
“Those found to have violated electoral laws will face the full force of the law,”he said, warning that candidates found culpable risk disqualification from the by-election.
He called on the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) and the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) to urgently investigate the allegations and ensure accountability.
The developments come amid heightened political tensions in Ol Kalou as candidates intensify campaigns in what is widely viewed as a politically significant contest for the Mt Kenya region.
While the IEBC has maintained that the election must remain free, fair and credible, political leaders have increasingly criticised the commission for what they describe as a failure to enforce electoral laws against voter bribery and violence.
In recent weeks, residents have witnessed the acceleration of road construction projects, the Last Mile Electricity Connectivity Programme, the revival of the Nairobi-Nyahururu railway line and the launch of three digital hubs by the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy, among other initiatives.
Critics contend that the timing of the projects suggests they are politically motivated rather than part of routine government service delivery.
Political observers say that, unlike recent by-elections in Emurua Dikirr, Malava and Mbeere North, the Ol Kalou contest has attracted an unusually intense political campaign, with both the government and the opposition treating it as a crucial test of political influence in the Mt Kenya region.
The recent rollout of government development projects by leaders allied to the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) has also attracted criticism.
Opposition leaders argue that several long-stalled projects have suddenly been revived to influence voters ahead of the poll.
