Ruling party says allegations of election manipulation are baseless, calls on the electoral commission to ignore political pressure and uphold a free, fair and transparent by-election.
ASAL POST | OL KALOU BY-ELECTION | July 15, 2026
NAIROBI – The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) has dismissed claims by Democratic Congress Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua that Thursday’s Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election could be manipulated, insisting the allegations are unsupported by evidence and urging the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to conduct a free, fair and transparent election.
The party’s response follows a letter by Gachagua to IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon, in which he alleged a coordinated scheme to interfere with the by-election through voter bribery, manipulation of polling stations, vote tallying, security operations and voter identification procedures.
Earlier on Wednesday, Gachagua also wrote to Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, expressing concern over the deployment of more than 2,000 police officers to Ol Kalou and alleging intimidation of his party’s supporters ahead of the poll.
In his letter, the former Deputy President claimed the National Police Service (NPS) had come under the influence of senior Kenya Kwanza officials. He called for all officers deployed for election duties to be in uniform, display their service numbers and use clearly marked police vehicles to enhance transparency.
Gachagua further alleged that some security officers had been deployed to interfere with the electoral process and cited incidents he claimed targeted DCP officials and supporters during the campaign period.
However, in a rejoinder addressed to the IEBC Chairperson, UDA Secretary General Hassan Omar dismissed the allegations, arguing that they were intended to undermine public confidence in the electoral process.
The ruling party maintained that any claims of bribery, voter intimidation or electoral malpractice should be supported by credible evidence and pursued through the appropriate legal and investigative channels.
“Where it exists, admissible evidence of bribery or undue influence should be addressed through lawful structures, not by a scattergun letter to the IEBC,” UDA said.
UDA also defended the electoral commission against allegations that it could collude in manipulating the outcome of the by-election, saying IEBC officials carry out their duties under the close scrutiny of party agents, observers and other stakeholders.
“The suggestion that the IEBC would collude in disenfranchising young voters or rigging KIEMS tallies is not only baseless but an insult to the patriotic election officials who conduct these exercises under intense scrutiny from party agents and observers of all persuasions,” the party stated.
The party further rejected claims that senior government officials were involved in influencing the outcome of the by-election, saying no evidence had been presented to substantiate the allegations.
UDA also emphasized that the deployment of security personnel falls under the constitutional mandate of the National Police Service and the Inspector General, not the IEBC.
The party concluded by urging the electoral commission to proceed with the Ol Kalou by-election professionally and independently despite the political accusations surrounding the vote.
“We urge the IEBC to conduct the Ol Kalou Constituency by-election professionally, transparently and in accordance with the law, without acquiescing to blackmail, ultimatums, theatrics or the politics of manufactured crisis,” UDA said.
The Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election has attracted significant political attention, with both the ruling coalition and opposition viewing the contest as a key political test ahead of the 2027 General Election.
