NAIROBI, Kenya – Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua has launched a scathing attack on the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), accusing the electoral body of acting under political pressure after warning that it could postpone or cancel the upcoming Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election.
Speaking during a press briefing on Friday, the former Deputy President dismissed concerns raised by IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon over alleged voter bribery, election-related violence and illegal campaigns in the constituency, insisting the area remains largely peaceful.
Gachagua claimed the commission was applying double standards by threatening action in Ol Kalou while remaining silent during previous by-elections that witnessed violence and electoral irregularities.
“The people of Ol Kalou are very peaceful. All the candidates are working together and nobody is fighting each other. The little violence that has been witnessed in Ol Kalou has been done by the State,” he said.
He questioned why the commission was focusing on alleged incidents in Ol Kalou yet, according to him, it did not publicly condemn violence reported during by-elections in areas such as Baringo, Kasipul and Malava.
The DCP leader further accused senior government officials of turning the by-election into a state-backed campaign for the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidate.
He alleged that Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries and other senior officials had flooded the constituency and were using public resources to influence voters.
According to Gachagua, government officials have been conducting campaigns and engaging in voter inducement through cash handouts and promises of development projects.
He also faulted the IEBC for threatening to punish voters by cancelling the election instead of taking action against individuals suspected of committing electoral offences.
Gachagua went on to claim that President William Ruto’s administration was seeking to have the election called off after internal assessments allegedly indicated the UDA candidate was struggling ahead of the vote.
He alleged that the commission’s warning was politically motivated and aimed at preventing what he described as a looming defeat for the ruling party in the July 16 by-election.
The remarks come a day after IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon warned that the commission could postpone or cancel the election if reports of voter bribery, night campaigns and violence persist.
Speaking during the launch of the 2022 Pre-Election Dispute Resolution Report on Thursday, Ethekon said the commission had received complaints of electoral malpractices, including incidents of violence that had reportedly resulted in one death.
The IEBC chairperson also expressed concern over the involvement of Cabinet Secretaries and Principal Secretaries in the campaigns, adding that investigators had been deployed to establish the facts and recommend appropriate action.
Ethekon maintained that the commission would not hesitate to act if the prevailing environment compromises its ability to conduct a free, fair and credible election.
The Ol Kalou parliamentary seat fell vacant following the death of area MP David Kiaraho. Voters are expected to elect a new representative in the by-election scheduled for July 16.