Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has accused President William Ruto’s administration of attempting to delay the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election, alleging that the government is using state resources and political pressure to influence the outcome.
In a statement on Thursday, Gachagua claimed that President Ruto had spent billions of shillings in Ol Kalou Constituency in an attempt to secure support for the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidate, but said the efforts had failed.
“Mr William Ruto has spent over Kshs. 1 billion on bribes in Ol Kalou Constituency, and it is not working. And it will not work,” Gachagua said.
He further alleged that the government had spent Kshs. 10 billion on development projects in the constituency, claiming the expenditure had not changed voters’ positions.
Gachagua accused the President of pushing the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to postpone the by-election scheduled for July 16, 2026, arguing that the move would provide more time for additional spending and campaigns.
His remarks came after IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon warned that the commission could postpone or cancel the Ol Kalou by-election if the security situation does not allow for a credible electoral process.
“In the event that, working with the security officials and other stakeholders, we find that the environment is not conducive enough for us to conclude the by-election in Ol Kalou, we will be left with no choice other than to take the most unfortunate and drastic step of postponing the elections in Ol Kalou. And if that’s not enough, we will cancel it altogether,” Ethekon said
Gachagua, however, accused the electoral body of failing to act against alleged violations of the Electoral Code of Conduct by government officials, claiming Cabinet Secretaries and Principal Secretaries had been campaigning and engaging in voter inducement.
He also questioned IEBC’s preparedness to manage the 2027 General Election if it could not oversee a single parliamentary by-election.
“If the IEBC has no capacity to conduct a single by-election, then Kenyans will conclude that it cannot conduct the 10th August 2027 General Election, and all the commissioners must resign with immediate effect,” he said.
The former Deputy President further alleged that there were plans to create chaos during the weekend to justify postponing the polls, claims he did not provide evidence for.
He urged IEBC to proceed with the election as scheduled, saying Ol Kalou residents had a constitutional right to elect their representative in the National Assembly.
“The IEBC should NOT and must NOT postpone the Ol Kalou by-election. The people of Ol Kalou are ready to elect their new Member of Parliament,” Gachagua said.
The Ol Kalou parliamentary seat fell vacant following the death of former MP David Kones, triggering the by-election. The contest has attracted heightened political attention, with major political parties seeking control of the constituency ahead of the 2027 General Election.
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