NAIROBI, Kenya- Government Spokesperson Charles Owino has called on the electoral commission to take firm action against United Democratic Alliance Secretary-General Hassan Omar over his controversial remarks about using deceased voters’ fingerprints in the 2027 General Election.
Owino described Omar’s statement as careless and warned that remarks touching on the integrity of elections could heighten political tension in the country.
“The head of IEBC is supposed to take stern action against Hassan Omar because that is their mandate,” Owino said.
“It is equally a very careless statement; you don’t expect that kind of statement from a secretary-general of a ruling party. It makes the situation very volatile, and for that reason, he would take responsibility for his statement as an individual.”
Omar sparked controversy after suggesting that the fingerprints of people who had died could be used to vote for President William Ruto in the August 10, 2027 General Election.
“Even if someone has died, we should take their finger before we bury them, put it into the BVR and cast a vote,” Omar said during a political gathering in Mombasa on September 11.
The UDA Secretary-General made the remarks shortly after declaring his intention to contest the Mombasa governorship in the next election. He also urged supporters to mobilise behind President Ruto’s campaign for a second term.
Omar later said his remarks had been quoted out of context. He maintained that his message was intended to encourage Kenyans to register as voters and participate in the election, accusing his political opponents of distorting his words.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission has rejected the possibility of dead people being used to vote.
IEBC Commissioner Alutalala Mukhwana said the Kenya Integrated Election Management System uses biometric features, including fingerprints and iris recognition, to verify voters before they receive ballot papers.
“The machines we have rely on biometrics such as fingerprints and iris. So how can a dead person register as a voter or even vote?” Mukhwana said.
Mukhwana also cautioned politicians against making statements that could undermine public confidence in the commission and the electoral process.
The controversy has renewed debate about the accuracy of Kenya’s voter register ahead of the 2027 election.
An independent audit conducted by KPMG before the 2022 General Election identified 246,465 deceased voters among anomalies in a database containing about 22.5 million records.
Transparency International Kenya has since called for a comprehensive audit of the register and the removal of deceased voters before the next election.
