Gachagua tells IEBC commissioners to resign if they can't handle a by-election

DCP party leader Rigathi Gachagua during a press briefing at the DCP head quarters in Nairobi July 10, 2026. [David Gichuru,Standard]

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua wants the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commissioners to resign if they can’t handle a mini election.

While registering his concerns on the alleged double standards by the IEBC for failing to enforce Constitutional provisions on election on government allied leaders, Gachagua claimed there was a plot to postpone the by-election slated on July 16 as a precedence to postpone next year’s general election.

The Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader said should the commission go ahead to either postpone or cancel the by election, it will have lost the little remaining trust to manage polls and will have no moral obligation to manage a general election.

“Are you telling the people of Kenya that you have no capacity to manage a by-election in one constituency in Kenya? If you have no capacity to manage a bi election in Kenya, can Kenyans trust you to manage the general election? he posed.

While addressing the press at the DCP headquarters in Nairobi, Gachagua maintained if the commission will make true its threats, Kenyans will demand that they resign on grounds of incapacity and incompetence.

Gachagua alleged that after sensing defeat, President William Ruto was pilling pressure on the IEBC to postpone the by-election to allegedly set precedence to postpone the general election on grounds of anticipated violence.

He claimed heavily armed police officers with plain clothes had been deployed in the region to cause mayhem so that on Monday the commission may cancel or postpone the mini polls.

"I want to tell the IEBC if you postpone this by-election you have lost credibility completely you'll never recover and you'll have no moral authority to tell the people of Kenya that they can trust you to conduct the general election,” he said.

While turning to the commission’s chairperson Erastus Ethekon, Gachagua accused him of failing to reign in on the State officers who have been dishing out money and resources to induce the electorate yet he has remained silent.

“You have openly defied all odds to call to order an election of open bribery by the state led by cabinet secretaries, principal secretaries and state officers who were actively involved in the by-election campaign and breaching the constitutional and legal provisions of article 75 and 77 of the constitution of Kenya 2010 and section 14 of the election offenses act 2016,” he said.

He added “Mr. chairman, how can you threaten to cancel an election because state officials are bribing people yet you have the law to stop them? You have not summoned any of them. You have not ordered them out of why do you want to punish the people of Okalou? Bribery by state officials is documented every day and then you come up yesterday to cry. You are crying to Kenyans who do what? You are the one in charge of IEBC.”

Gachagua maintained that Olkalou had not experienced violence of any magnitude that could cause the commission to cancel or postpone the by-election saying Kasipul Kabondo and Malava by elections last year experienced serious cases of violence and yet the commission did not cancel the polls.

“There was extreme violence in Kasipul Kabondo, Malava and Emurua Dikirr that recently concluded by elections. All meetings were conducted in the evenings and late the night. The chairman and his commissioners were aware of what was going on and they never spoke. Unfortunately, since you are state playbook masters and UDA sympathizers, a peaceful campaign period in Olkalou has made you too clever all of a sudden after realizing that UDA is losing the election. Do not take Kenyans for a ride,’ he said.

Gachagua required the IEBC to summon State Officers  who are leading the campaigns in Olkalou against the Constitutional dictates and reign in on them as opposed to turning to Kenyans to cry over the electoral code of conduct.

He singled out Cabinet Secretaries led by Alice Wahome (Lands) Rebeca Maino (Tourism) William Kabogo (ICT) Davis Chirchir (Roads and Transport) as well as Principal Secretaries led by Alex Wachira (Energy) Patrick Mariru (Defense) among others who have crystallized development projects in the area to induce voters.

“The constitution outlines the core principles that govern the country's electoral system and process. It dictates that all elections and elective public bodies must comply and ensure the freedom of citizens to exercise their political rights.

He added “It demands that the IEBC ensures that all elections are free and fair. Ensure that elections are conducted in secret ballots free from violence, intimidation, improper influence or corruption. Ensure that elections are transparent, read and administered in an impartial, neutral, efficient, accurate and accountable manner.”