OL KALOU, Nyandarua- Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua has announced that his party will conduct a parallel vote tallying system during the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election, saying it is intended to independently monitor the election results.
Speaking as voting continued across the constituency on Thursday, Gachagua claimed the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) had been “compromised” and alleged that delays in the voting process could be used to justify extending polling beyond the scheduled closing time.
“I am told the IEBC is now compromised. They are delaying the voting so that after 5:00 p.m. they can extend voting hours, allowing the counting process to begin after dark,” Gachagua said.
He instructed his supporters to ensure polling stations closed at the official time.
“My instruction is that polling centres must close at 5:00 p.m. If you have not voted by then, don’t bother to vote. We will have a parallel counting system so that Kenyans can follow,” he said.
A parallel vote tally (PVT) is an independent process used by political parties or accredited election observers to collect results announced at individual polling stations and compare them with the official results declared by the electoral commission.
Such exercises do not replace the official tally but are often used to verify consistency and detect any discrepancies.
Under Kenya’s electoral laws, polling stations are scheduled to close at 5:00 p.m.
However, voters who are already in the queue by that time must still be allowed to cast their ballots, even if voting extends beyond 5:00 p.m.
In cases where polling started late or was interrupted, the Presiding Officer may also extend voting hours to compensate for lost time.
The IEBC has maintained that counting begins immediately after the close of voting at each polling station and is conducted openly in the presence of candidates’ agents, observers and the media before results are transmitted through the prescribed legal process.
The Ol Kalou by-election has attracted national attention as a contest between the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and Gachagua’s Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP), with political leaders from both camps closely monitoring the exercise.
Earlier in the day, voting witnessed a high turnout across many polling stations, although the election was also marred by reports of attacks on journalists and security incidents that prompted calls for investigations.