Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua has accused the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) and President William Ruto's administration of orchestrating a scheme to delay the 2027 General Election, citing recent developments surrounding the upcoming Ol Kalou by-election.

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Speaking during a press conference in Nairobi on Friday, July 10, the former Deputy President questioned the electoral body's decision to carry out a routine upgrade of its ICT systems and linked it to what he termed a major plan to manipulate future elections.

Gachagua claimed the commission's warning that the July 16 Ol Kalou by-election could be postponed because of insecurity was a ‘test run' for a similar move during next year's General Election.

"We want to know why the IEBC system was closed for an update when we are going for the Ol Kalou by-election. Is it that there is a secret plot to manipulate the system so that non-voters can vote in the elections?" Gachagua posed.

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He further questioned the commission's ability to conduct national elections if it was unable to guarantee a peaceful by-election in a single constituency.

"The people of Kenya are asking that if the IEBC is afraid of conducting elections in one constituency because of violence, what happens next year when there is violence? Will they postpone the elections? Are you telling Kenyans that you cannot manage one election in Kenya?" he said.

The DCP leader went on to accuse the commission of working in concert with the government to lay the groundwork for postponing the 2027 General Election.

"If you have no capacity to manage the by-elections, will you manage next year's elections? I think it is a scheme between Ruto and the IEBC to postpone the Ol Kalou election so as to set the ground for postponing next year's election," Gachagua alleged.

He challenged the current IEBC leadership to resign if it was unable to discharge its constitutional mandate, arguing that Kenyans deserved an electoral body capable of conducting free, fair and credible elections under all circumstances.

At the same time, the former DP also accused state agencies of deliberately fuelling insecurity in Ol Kalou, claiming plain-clothes police officers and hired goons had been deployed from Nairobi to disrupt campaigns and intimidate opposition supporters ahead of the mini poll.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke