Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has alleged that there are plans to interfere with the upcoming Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election, accusing President William Ruto and the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) of working together to postpone the poll.
In a statement, Gachagua claimed that despite the government allegedly spending billions of shillings on development projects and voter inducements in Ol Kalou Constituency, support for the Kenya Kwanza candidate had failed to improve.
He further alleged that President Ruto had spent over KSh1 billion on bribing voters and an additional KSh10 billion on development projects in an effort to influence the outcome of the by-election, but insisted the strategy had not succeeded.
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua. Photo: Courtesy.
According to Gachagua, the latest plan was to have the IEBC postpone the by-election to allow more time for further political campaigns and expenditure.
He also claimed that there were plans to sponsor violence over the weekend to provide grounds for delaying the election scheduled for Thursday, July 16, 2026.
The former deputy president argued that if the electoral commission was unable to conduct a single parliamentary by-election without claims of electoral malpractice, it would struggle to convince Kenyans that it could oversee the 2027 General Election.
Gachagua also accused the IEBC of ignoring what he described as open violations of the Electoral Code of Conduct by Cabinet Secretaries and Principal Secretaries, alleging that senior government officials had been involved in campaigning and voter bribery.
He further claimed to have information suggesting that President Ruto had pressured the commission to either ensure a victory for the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidate or postpone the election, though he did not provide evidence to support the allegation.
Calling on the electoral body to proceed with the poll as scheduled, Gachagua said residents of Ol Kalou had a constitutional right to elect their Member of Parliament without interference.
He urged the IEBC to ensure a peaceful, credible, and transparent election free from violence and ballot stuffing, warning that any postponement would undermine public confidence in the commission ahead of the 2027 General Election.
