KALOU, Kenya- Nakuru Town East MP David Gikaria skipped a scheduled hearing before the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) on Monday over alleged breaches of the Electoral Code of Conduct and instead continued campaigning for the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidate in the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election.
Gikaria had been required to appear before the IEBC’s Electoral Code of Conduct Enforcement Committee at 9:00 a.m. to answer allegations arising from his conduct during campaign activities in Ol Kalou. However, the legislator did not attend the hearing.
The committee was told by Gikaria’s personal assistant, Joseph Kariuki, that the MP was unwell and requested that the hearing be postponed.
However, the committee declined the request after no medical evidence was presented to support the claim.
The committee subsequently directed Gikaria to appear in person at 1:30 p.m. the same day, stressing that his attendance was mandatory.
The proceedings relate to allegations that the MP violated the Electoral Code of Conduct through remarks and activities during the Ol Kalou campaigns.
Even as the disciplinary proceedings unfolded in Nairobi, Gikaria remained active in Ol Kalou, joining other Kenya Kwanza leaders in the final push for UDA candidate Samuel Muchina Nyagah ahead of the 6:00 p.m. campaign deadline.
The by-election campaign has been among the most heated in recent years, with both Kenya Kwanza and the opposition-backed Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) deploying senior political figures to canvass support.
The allegations against Gikaria stem from widely circulated videos showing him distributing cash to residents in Ol Kalou while collecting their national identity card details.
The MP has denied engaging in voter bribery, maintaining that the exercise was purely for accountability and to ensure assistance reached eligible voters, insisting it was unrelated to influencing the July 16 by-election.
The IEBC has intensified enforcement of the Electoral Code of Conduct following reports of voter bribery, violence, intimidation, destruction of campaign materials and illegal night campaigns.
Last week, Chairperson Erastus Ethekon warned that the commission could postpone or cancel the Ol Kalou by-election if the violations persist and compromise the credibility of the poll.