Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua has formally accused the electoral commission of severe institutional bias ahead of Thursday’s by-election.
In a demand letter issued on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, the former deputy president alleged that independent regulatory bodies have completely lost public confidence. Gachagua asserted that state organs are deliberately compromising the upcoming Ol Kalou parliamentary vote to favor the ruling coalition.
The escalating political dispute stems from the highly contested race to replace the late lawmaker David Kiaraho. Gachagua claimed that the electoral agency is practicing selective law enforcement by ignoring state-linked malpractice.
According to opposition leaders, cabinet ministers and ruling party operatives are openly distributing large monetary bribes and relief supplies to influence voters. Gachagua maintains that these systemic infractions are occurring under the direct supervision of complicit regulatory bodies.
The DCP chief strongly condemned earlier warnings from authorities regarding a potential cancellation of the mini-poll due to recent localized violence. He argued that state security forces are intentionally orchestrating local chaos to create a pretext for postponing the ballot.
The opposition camp insists that delaying the election is a calculated strategy to protect the government candidate from a definitive defeat.
“I write to address you in my capacity as a leader in this country and in my civic duty,” stated Rigathi Gachagua in his official statement to the commission. Gachagua strongly emphasized that an election is fundamentally about the integrity of the process rather than the final outcome. He warned that the commission’s failure to guarantee fairness will directly undermine public trust ahead of the 2027 polls
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has dismissed the opposition’s claims of a coordinated rigging plot. Electoral Chairperson Erastus Ethekon reassured stakeholders that all statutory voting preparations remain transparent, secure, and fully on schedule.
The highly volatile by-election represents the first major parliamentary test for the newly reconstituted commission. The outcome will serve as an essential indicator of political supremacy between Kenya’s competing national factions.
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