The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has warned that it could postpone or even cancel the Ol Kalou Parliamentary By-election if escalating violence, voter bribery and other electoral malpractices continue to undermine the integrity of the poll.

Speaking in Nairobi on Thursday, July 9, during the launch of the 2022 Pre-Election Dispute Resolution Committee Report and Case Digest, IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon said the commission is deeply concerned by reports emerging from the constituency ahead of the July 16 by-election.

Ethekon said all candidates were cleared after meeting the legal requirements and committing to abide by the Electoral Code of Conduct, but noted that events on the ground have raised serious concerns.

“When we cleared the candidates contesting the Ol Kalou parliamentary seat, we ensured they met the required standards and signed to conduct themselves in accordance with the Electoral Code of Conduct. It is our expectation that everyone participating in the by-election will uphold Article 81 of the Constitution, which requires elections to be free from harassment, intimidation, violence, bribery and undue influence. However, the reports reaching us from our teams on the ground are deeply disturbing and very concerning,” he said.

The IEBC boss said the commission has received reports of illegal night campaigns, destruction of campaign materials, physical confrontations between rival supporters and increasing insecurity in the constituency.

“During the day the situation appears calm, but at night madness descends. Political parties and their supporters engage in running battles, deface each other’s campaign materials and fight openly. Sadly, one such confrontation on the night of July 1 resulted in the death of one person,” Ethekon said.

He further disclosed that the commission had received allegations of widespread voter bribery, the presence of state officials allegedly interfering with the electoral process, and reports of goons being mobilised to disrupt campaigns.

“We have also received allegations of bribery, and in some areas the scale of bribery is massive. We have been informed of the presence of state officials in Ol Kalou, which is not a problem if they are carrying out their normal duties, but if they are there to interfere with the election, that is unfortunate. We have also been alerted to the presence or possible mobilisation of goons, which threatens the security of residents and the integrity of the election,” he added.

Ethekon said the Commission has already dispatched investigative teams to establish the facts before taking action against anyone found culpable.

“As IEBC, we have the necessary tools to act. Our investigative teams are already on the ground in Ol Kalou to investigate these allegations. At this stage, we are treating them as allegations, but once investigations are complete, we shall take the necessary action as guided by the law. We will be very firm in enforcing the Electoral Code of Conduct, and where breaches are established, appropriate sanctions will apply, including against candidates where necessary,” he stated.

The IEBC chairperson warned that if the security situation deteriorates further, the commission would have no option but to halt the electoral process.

“In the event that, working together with security agencies and other stakeholders, we find that the environment is not conducive for us to conclude the by-election, we will have no choice but to take the unfortunate and drastic step of postponing the election in Ol Kalou. If that is still not sufficient, we will cancel it altogether. That would be a sad day for the people of Ol Kalou because they would lose the opportunity to be represented in Parliament,” he said.

Ethekon noted that the commission has already spent more than KSh30 million preparing for the by-election and reiterated that IEBC remains committed to delivering a credible, free, fair and transparent election, provided peace is maintained.

“We are ready to conduct a credible, free, fair and transparent election, but there must be peace. People must abide by the rules because elections cannot be conducted in an environment of violence and lawlessness,” he said.