A political row over the upcoming Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election intensified on Friday after Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua accused the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) of acting under pressure from President William Ruto to derail the vote.
Addressing journalists, the former deputy president rejected the electoral body’s warning that the July 16 by-election could be postponed or cancelled if violence and voter bribery continue. He argued that the constituency has remained largely peaceful and claimed the commission was applying different standards to Ol Kalou compared with previous by-elections.
“The people of Ol Kalou are very peaceful. All the candidates are working together and nobody is fighting each other,” Gachagua said. He alleged that the isolated incidents reported in the constituency had been orchestrated by the State.
He questioned why the IEBC had not taken a similar stance during earlier by-elections that were also marked by unrest.
“You never condemned violence in Baringo, you didn’t condemn violence in Kasipul Kabondo, you didn’t condemn violence in Malava. How come you are condemning non-existent violence in Ol Kalou and threatening to postpone an election?” he said.
Gachagua also accused senior government officials of campaigning for the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidate while allegedly using public resources and engaging in voter bribery. Among those he named were Lands Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome, ICT Cabinet Secretary William Kabogo, Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir and Tourism Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano.
He further alleged that the government had deployed development projects, cash handouts and other incentives to influence voters.
Turning his criticism to IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon, Gachagua argued that the commission should enforce electoral laws against any individuals found breaking them instead of threatening to suspend the entire election.
“How can you threaten to cancel an election because State officials are bribing people, yet you have the law to stop them?” he asked.
The DCP leader went on to claim, without providing evidence, that the planned intervention was driven by internal assessments showing the ruling party facing defeat in the constituency.
“After all these schemes have failed… IEBC gets instructions and, through their chairman, threatens to postpone or cancel the elections,” he said. “You are now being used by William Ruto to postpone the election because he knows he faces a humiliating defeat next week.”
The commission has not responded directly to Gachagua’s allegations.
The remarks came a day after IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon warned that the electoral body was closely monitoring the situation in Ol Kalou following reports of voter bribery, night campaigns and election-related violence.
Speaking during the launch of the 2022 Pre-Election Dispute Resolution Report, Ethekon said the commission had received reports of electoral offences, including violence that had resulted in one death.
“We have witnessed voter bribery, campaigns at night and violence leading to the death of one person,” Ethekon said.
He added that IEBC investigators had been dispatched to establish the facts, including claims involving Cabinet Secretaries and Principal Secretaries campaigning in the constituency.
“If conditions are not favourable for IEBC to conduct elections there, we will either postpone or cancel the election altogether. We cannot operate under the kind of violence we are seeing,” Ethekon said.
The Ol Kalou parliamentary seat became vacant following the death of MP David Kiaraho. Voters are expected to elect his successor in the by-election scheduled for July 16.
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