The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) on Friday promised a free and fair elections when 27 electoral units go to the polls on Thursday, as it begun dispatching election materials from its national warehouse in Nairobi to various polling stations ahead of the upcoming by-elections.
IEBC officials say all materials will reach the designated constituencies and wards on time to allow for proper preparation before polling day.
The by-elections will be done in Baringo (Senate), and constituency MP seats in Magarini, Banissa, Mbeere North, Malava, Ugunja, and Kasipul. There will also be 16 ward by-elections on the same day.
IEBC Commissioner Hassan Noor Hassan on Friday said that a total of 39 pallets of ballot papers covering 22 electoral areas have been received from the printer, checked, and confirmed in accordance with the official dispatch documentation.
Mr Noor said the first consignment of ballot papers was being dispatched to Fafi Constituency in Garissa County, one of the most remote destinations.
“All pallets will leave for their destinations today, except those meant for the Turkana and Banisa constituency at Garissa county which will be lifted today (22nd Nov 2025) due to the long distance and challenging terrain,” said Mr Noor.
He assured Kenyans that it is fully prepared for the by-elections. Training of electoral officials is ongoing, and security personnel have been adequately briefed. Each consignment of ballot papers will be escorted by high-level security officers from the warehouse to its respective destination.
“From the moment they arrived, the ballot papers have been under 24-hour security. IEBC is completely set. We want to assure Kenyans that we are ready for the by-elections,” the official added.
Upon arrival at each county, the ballot papers will be formally received by local IEBC officers and security teams, verified, and kept under tight security until the eve of the election, when they will be distributed to polling stations.
The IEBC has appealed to all political candidates and their supporters to conduct peaceful and civilized campaigns, ensuring that voters can exercise their democratic right freely and fairly.
“IEBC’s role is to guarantee a conducive environment for Kenyans to choose leaders of their choice. Let the best leader, as chosen by the people, win,” said the official.
He warned that anyone attempting to disrupt the process will be firmly dealt with. The Commission says it has already held meetings with political leaders from all the affected areas, where they collectively pledged to conduct peaceful campaigns.
Officials expressed confidence that the commitment shown by various party leaders will help ensure a smooth, safe, and credible electoral process that allows Kenyans to freely choose the leaders they want.
“Anyone who dares to disrupt the process will be met by our security agencies. Every leader we engaged has committed to running a peaceful campaign so that Kenyans can elect the leaders they deserve.”
The printing of the ballot papers valued at Sh27 million was carried out in Greece by the same firm that handled printing for the previous general election.
In Kilifi County, where Magarini constituency voters will go to the ballot to elect an MP, IEBC Commissioner Alutalala Mukhwana said officers who will oversee the exercise have been equipped and are ready for the task ahead.
“We have sensitised all our officers and then we will swear them in today (Friday) to ensure they are responsible and will work accordingly without engaging in any malpractices On November 28, morning, we will announce the winner and the loser,” Mr Mukhwana said.
Deployed security officers
The IEBC commissioner said the government has deployed enough security officers, both in civilian and police uniform, to ensure the exercise is uninterrupted.
He noted that officers from the General Service Unit (GSU) will be present to deal with anyone with plans to disrupt the exercise.
He also cautioned voters to maintain peace during the exercise and warned that anyone with the intention to cause violence would face the full force of the law.
Magarini constituency has 193 polling stations with 80,128 registered voters. Marafa ward has 25 poling stations, Magarini (35), Gongoni (41), Garashi (30) and Sabaki (18) polling stations.
“We have 10 candidates and there are those who are famous and others not, but all have the same right to campaign and be voted for,” he said.
