The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has assured Kenyans that the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election is proceeding as planned despite incidents of chaos reported at some polling stations, saying voting remained largely peaceful with 38.2 per cent voter turnout recorded by 1 p.m.
In a statement issued on Thursday, IEBC Chairperson Erastus Edung Ethekon said most polling stations opened on time at 6 a.m., with eligible voters turning out early despite the cold weather.
The Commission urged voters who had not yet cast their ballots to proceed to their polling stations before the close of voting, adding that polling hours would be extended where delays or interruptions had occurred.
“As at 1.00 p.m., voter turnout in Ol Kalou Constituency stood at 38.2 per cent of the registered voters,” Ethekon said.
The statement came amid reports of disturbances around the by-election, prompting the electoral agency to caution politicians and their supporters against interfering with the voting and tallying processes.
IEBC warned that Kenyan electoral laws do not recognize so-called “super agents” or any unauthorized persons operating inside polling stations or tallying centres, including political party leaders.
“There is no provision in law for ‘super agents’ or any unauthorized persons to operate within polling or tallying centres, including leaders of political parties,” the Commission said.
It further reminded state officers and public officers who are registered voters that they are only entitled to vote at their designated polling stations and are not permitted to move from one polling station to another.
The Commission also directed voters to leave polling stations immediately after casting their ballots to avoid congestion and maintain order.
Despite the reported tensions, IEBC said all eligible voters continued to be identified successfully using the Kenya Integrated Elections Management System (KIEMS) kits, with no significant challenges affecting voter verification.
As voting closes at 5 p.m., the Commission said ballot counting would be conducted openly at each polling station in the presence of party agents, election observers and the media.
To enhance transparency, agents will be allowed to photograph the official results forms, while copies of the forms will be displayed publicly at polling stations before results are transmitted to the constituency tallying centre.
IEBC also issued a stern warning against any attempts to disrupt the tallying exercise, saying only accredited persons with official identification badges would be allowed into tallying centres.
“In cases where senior elected and party leaders would like to witness the tallying process, we urge all of them to respect the integrity and importance of the tallying centre. We do not expect any leaders to engage in actions that could disrupt and delay the tallying and announcement of results,” Ethekon said.
The Commission reminded candidates and political parties dissatisfied with any aspect of the electoral process that disputes should be resolved through the courts.
“Any aggrieved party is reminded that the courts of law remain the lawful avenue for electoral dispute resolution,” the statement said.
IEBC called on political parties, candidates, agents, the media and voters to uphold peace throughout the exercise and refrain from actions that could compromise the integrity and secrecy of the vote.
The Commission said it would continue providing regular updates on the by-election as the voting, tallying and declaration of results progress.
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