Gachagua Alleges Plot to Rig Ol Kalou By-Election

Kenya, July 14, 2026 - Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua has accused the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) of failing to guarantee a free and fair Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election, claiming there is a coordinated plan to manipulate Thursday's vote.

In an eight-page letter dated July 14 and addressed to IEBC Chairperson Erastus Edung Ethekon, Gachagua outlined a series of allegations, including voter bribery, intimidation, interference by security agencies and bias by the electoral commission.

The Ol Kalou parliamentary seat fell vacant following the death of area MP Wanjiku Muhia.

Gachagua claimed the by-election would serve as a litmus test for the IEBC ahead of the 2027 General Election, urging the commission to publicly respond to the issues raised before polling day.

"I write to address you in my capacity as a leader in this country and in my civic duty as a responsible citizen," Gachagua said in the letter.

He alleged that a meeting held on July 13 involving UDA officials, government officers and political leaders discussed plans to interfere with the election, including delaying accreditation of DCP agents, disrupting polling operations and influencing vote counting.

Among the claims, Gachagua alleged that DCP agents could be denied badges in time to inspect ballot boxes and KIEMS kits, that polling stations in opposition strongholds could open late, and that security officers in plain clothes would interfere with voting and tallying.

He further claimed there were plans to deploy large numbers of police officers to polling stations and to use power outages to disrupt vote counting.

The DCP leader also alleged that opposition supporters could face arbitrary arrests before polling day to prevent them from voting.

Gachagua called on the IEBC to assure Kenyans that all party agents would be accredited on time, polling stations would open as scheduled, all parties would be allowed to scrutinise election materials and that security officers would remain impartial throughout the exercise.

He also questioned the commission's decision to rely solely on the electronic voter register, citing a 2022 High Court ruling that allowed the use of a manual register as a backup where biometric identification fails.

The former Deputy President further accused the electoral commission of selective enforcement of election laws, alleging that it had failed to act against senior government officials campaigning in Ol Kalou while taking action against opposition figures.

He listed several Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries and other senior state officials whom he claimed had participated in campaigns for the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA).

Gachagua also criticised the commission's handling of previous by-elections, including Mbeere North, Malava, Narok Town Ward and the November 2025 contests, alleging that reported cases of voter bribery, intimidation and violence went unaddressed.

The DCP leader urged the commission to restore public confidence by ensuring the Ol Kalou vote is conducted transparently.

"The Ol Kalou by-election is an acid test for the IEBC," he wrote. "Kenyans will make the final conclusion whether you will either bungle the 2027 General Election."

The letter was copied to Inspector-General of Police Douglas Kanja, with Gachagua asking the police leadership to ensure officers remain neutral and do not intimidate voters, party agents or election officials.

The IEBC had not publicly responded to the allegations by Tuesday evening.

The Ol Kalou by-election is scheduled for July 16 and is among the first parliamentary by-elections to be conducted under the reconstituted IEBC, making it a closely watched contest amid heightened political competition between the Kenya Kwanza administration and the opposition.