The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has launched a full-scale investigation into the brutal killing of two people during violent campaign clashes in Kasipul Constituency ahead of the November 27 by-election.
The chaos erupted on Thursday evening in Central Kasipul, when a group of suspected goons allegedly stormed a rally organized by ODM candidate Boyd Were, leaving two men dead and several others injured.
Boyd, visibly shaken, accused his main rival Philip Aroko of orchestrating the deadly attack to disrupt his campaign and intimidate his supporters. Aroko, in turn, dismissed the allegations and countered that Boyd’s team was behind the bloodshed, claiming they were using violence as a tool to silence opponents.
As tempers flared across the constituency, the IEBC moved swiftly to condemn the incident, vowing decisive action against any candidate or party found culpable.
“Non-adherence to the electoral code attracts serious penal consequences, including disqualification of candidates or parties found guilty,” warned IEBC Chairman Erastus Ethekon. “We have dispatched a team of investigators with clear instructions to establish the facts and recommend appropriate action.”
The commission further urged security agencies to intensify investigations and bring those responsible to justice, emphasizing that political violence would not be tolerated.
“As we mourn and condole with the affected families, we urge police to move with speed. Violence has no place in democracy and must be met with a firm and lawful response,” read a statement from the IEBC.
The electoral body also reassured voters of its commitment to conducting a peaceful and credible election, calling on all political actors to exercise restraint.
“We reaffirm our commitment to safeguarding the integrity of the electoral process and ensuring that every Kenyan can vote free from fear, intimidation, or coercion,” the statement added.
Kasipul, one of six constituencies set for parliamentary by-elections later this month, has become a political hotbed following the tragic killing of MP Ong’ondo Were in April. The lawmaker was shot dead by unknown assailants along Nairobi’s Ngong Road, plunging the constituency into mourning and setting the stage for a heated race to fill the vacant seat.
As investigations continue, the IEBC’s next steps will be closely watched — with growing pressure to demonstrate that electoral violence will not go unpunished ahead of what promises to be one of the most tense by-elections in recent memory.
Leave a Reply