NAIROBI, July 16 – Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua has alleged that politicians allied to the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) are behind a scheme to disrupt the ongoing Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election, claiming they are working with plainclothes police officers to interfere with the voting process.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the former deputy president accused the alleged group of planning to target key polling stations by disrupting voting and manipulating ballot boxes.
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Gachagua said he had earlier raised concerns with Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja over the presence of plainclothes officers in Ol Kalou, warning that they posed a security risk during the by-election. He claimed his concerns had not been addressed.
The DCP leader urged the Inspector General to immediately deploy uniformed police officers to safeguard polling stations and guarantee a peaceful, free and fair election. He warned that the police leadership would be held accountable should violence or electoral irregularities occur.
He identified Huruma Polling Station and AC Primary School as areas he believes are most vulnerable to disruption and appealed to election observers, local and international media, civil society organisations and members of the public to monitor proceedings and document any incidents.
Gachagua also called on residents to remain vigilant throughout the voting exercise, saying protecting the integrity of the election is a collective responsibility.
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Meanwhile, the former deputy president has convened a media briefing at his Wamunyoro residence in Nyeri County, where he is expected to address the developments surrounding the Ol Kalou by-election.
At the time of publication, the allegations had not been independently verified. Neither the Kenya Police Service nor the United Democratic Alliance had issued an official response to Gachagua’s claims.
The Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election was called following a vacancy in the constituency’s National Assembly seat and has attracted considerable political interest, with several candidates seeking to win the seat.