NAIROBI, Kenya July 10 – Democracy for Citizens Party leader (DCP) Rigathi Gachagua has warned that the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) will lose public confidence if it postpones the July 16 Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election, saying such a decision would cast doubt on the commission’s ability to conduct the 2027 General Election.

📻 Breaking It Down

Speaking during a press briefing, Gachagua claimed that cancelling or delaying the mini-poll would severely damage the credibility of the electoral body.

“If the IEBC commissioners call off the Ol Kalou by-election, then they have lost the moral authority to purport that they have the capacity to conduct next year’s general election,” Gachagua said.

The former Deputy President accused the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) of allegedly orchestrating violence and voter bribery in an attempt to create grounds for postponing the election.

📌 What You Need to Know

According to Gachagua, internal government opinion polls allegedly showed the UDA candidate trailing, prompting what he described as a coordinated effort to disrupt the election.

He claimed the government had deployed rogue police officers and armed gangs to create insecurity that could justify postponing the vote.

“After all these schemes have failed and the government polling machinery have reported that the UDA party candidate is performing dismally, IEBC gets instructions, and through their Chairman Mr. Erastus Ethekon threatens to postpone or cancel the elections,” he alleged.

Gachagua further alleged that billions of shillings were being used to influence voters in the constituency.

“The Chairman of IEBC Erastus Ethekon has remained silent when William Ruto has used over one billion Kenya shillings in cash in bribes and put ten billion shillings of taxpayers’ funds through his agents to bribe voters in favour of the UDA candidate,” he claimed.

The DCP party leader also named several politicians, Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries and security officers whom he alleged were involved in campaign activities and the alleged disruption of the by-election.

📰 Source: Capital FM Kenya