Waziri Mayai Wa Maradhi
JF-Expert Member
- Jan 28, 2026
- 409
- 98
Due to several instances of voter bribery and violence, which have already resulted in one fatality, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has issued a warning that it may have to postpone or cancel the Ol Kalou by-election scheduled for next Thursday.
IEBC Chairperson Erastus Edung Ethekon bemoaned allegations of widespread voter bribery and the use of state machinery to sway voters at the unveiling of the 2022 Pre-Election Dispute Resolution Report.
As the flood of money and violence in the constituency finally caught the commission's attention, it threatened to dismiss candidates found guilty of election offences.
Ethekon also voiced concerns about what he called development giveaways and sweets being sent to Ol Kalou via Cabinet Secretaries and Principal Secretaries, among other government officials.
According to the IEBC Chairperson, the commission has already sent a team of investigators to Ol Kalou on a fact-finding mission; anyone found guilty would then be called for appropriate action.
"These small incidents are a precursor to what 2027 will be like, and we cannot allow this trajectory," he stated.
Additionally, Ethekon cautioned that if the security situation does not improve, the by-election may be cancelled or postponed.
IEBC Chairperson Erastus Edung Ethekon bemoaned allegations of widespread voter bribery and the use of state machinery to sway voters at the unveiling of the 2022 Pre-Election Dispute Resolution Report.
As the flood of money and violence in the constituency finally caught the commission's attention, it threatened to dismiss candidates found guilty of election offences.
Ethekon also voiced concerns about what he called development giveaways and sweets being sent to Ol Kalou via Cabinet Secretaries and Principal Secretaries, among other government officials.
According to the IEBC Chairperson, the commission has already sent a team of investigators to Ol Kalou on a fact-finding mission; anyone found guilty would then be called for appropriate action.
"These small incidents are a precursor to what 2027 will be like, and we cannot allow this trajectory," he stated.
Additionally, Ethekon cautioned that if the security situation does not improve, the by-election may be cancelled or postponed.