The Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua has accused the National Police Service of deploying an unusually large security operation to influence Thursday’s Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election, a claim the police have rejected, insisting the deployment is solely to guarantee a peaceful vote.
In a letter addressed to Inspector General Douglas Kanja on Wednesday, the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader alleged that more than 2,000 police officers had been sent to the Nyandarua constituency with the intention of interfering with the electoral process.
The allegations come a day after the National Police Service announced heightened security measures ahead of the closely watched by-election, saying officers had been deployed to protect voters, election officials and polling stations.
Gachagua questioned the scale of the deployment, arguing that Ol Kalou had remained largely calm throughout the campaign period and did not require such an extensive police presence.
“The security challenge in Ol Kalou and across Kenya isn’t too much about the goons but the plain-clothes rogue police officers outside of your command,” Gachagua wrote in the letter.
He further accused senior government officials of directing security operations, claiming the police command structure had been compromised. He did not provide evidence to support the allegation.
The former Deputy President also cited a series of incidents that he said had targeted his party during the campaign. These included an alleged assault on DCP officials at a hotel on July 1, the reported use of pepper spray against campaign supporters on July 9, damage to a campaign vehicle on July 11, and an alleged attack involving East African Legislative Assembly member Kanini Kega on July 13.
Gachagua claimed some officers had been deployed for purposes beyond maintaining law and order.
“They have been specifically sent to disrupt the commencement of the voting in the morning, disrupt voting, intimidate and harass agents, disrupt counting and tallying of votes and ensure that the UDA candidate is announced the winner,” he alleged.
He also expressed concern over the deployment of General Service Unit (GSU) officers and Anti-Stock Theft Unit personnel, claiming they had been instructed to suppress any unrest that could arise after the declaration of results. Those claims have not been independently verified.
The DCP leader called on the Inspector General to ensure all officers assigned to election duty wear official uniforms, display visible service numbers and use clearly marked police vehicles. He also demanded the withdrawal of plain-clothes officers from the constituency.
“With 2,000 police officers, there should be no violence unless it is caused by the officers themselves,” he said.
Gachagua further urged the National Police Service to remain politically neutral, citing provisions of Kenya’s Election Offences Act, which bars the use of state security agencies to influence electoral outcomes.
The allegations follow remarks made by Inspector General Douglas Kanja on Tuesday announcing enhanced security arrangements for the July 16 by-election.
Kanja said the National Police Service had put in place measures to ensure residents cast their ballots in a peaceful and secure environment. He said officers had been assigned to all 114 polling stations under standard election security procedures to safeguard voting materials, election officials and voters.
According to the Inspector General, additional units, including GSU officers, Anti-Stock Theft personnel and water cannon teams, have also been deployed as part of contingency plans to respond to any security threats that may arise.
The Ol Kalou by-election has attracted national political attention, with both the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and the opposition-backed DCP treating the contest as an important test of political support ahead of the 2027 General Election. The heavy security deployment and competing claims from political leaders have heightened scrutiny over the conduct of the poll.
As voters prepare to head to the ballot, attention will remain on whether the election proceeds peacefully and whether all parties accept the outcome.
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