People’s Liberation Party (PLP) leader Martha Karua has accused the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) of complicity in violence that marred several by-elections held in November 2025.

Speaking on a local radio station on Monday, December 8, 2025, Karua criticised the electoral body for failing to act decisively in the face of threats and incidents of pre-election violence.

“When violence happens and agents are either blocked, and candidates are blocked from coming to see what is happening, the IEBC is complicit,” Karua said.

She condemned the commission’s handling of threats before the polls, particularly the decision to impose only financial penalties on offending parties.

“You see, the way they dealt, they responded, to the threat to violence just before the elections. Fining parties a million each, which they can afford. That is telling them carry on, and they indeed carried on until it got very ugly,” she stated.

Failure to use disciplinary powers

Karua argued that the IEBC has stronger disciplinary tools but deliberately refused to apply them. “You must fine who is at fault. The moment they bar a candidate rightly, or a party, fine both the candidate and the party, and warn them that next time, is exclusion from the elections. They have teeth, they refuse to bite,” she said.

She further highlighted the role of police officers at polling stations, who report to IEBC presiding and returning officers, noting that their inaction during violent incidents renders the commission complicit.

“So when violence happens, and agents are either blocked, or candidates are blocked from coming to see what is happening, the IBC is complicit. And that is why, Mr. Ethelton, we are calling you and your team incompetent,” Karua said. “We didn’t see you using the tools at hand. If you can’t manage a mini-election, how will you manage the general elections?”

Direct confrontation planned

Karua warned that opposition leaders intend to confront the commission directly. “We’ll be visiting you in your offices to tell you this to your face, because this is a feedback, honest feedback from citizens, that you have displayed incompetence. How will you then convince Kenyans that you can handle general elections?” she asked.

Reminding commissioners of their public mandate, she added: “Remember, you may have been appointed by Ruto, but he didn’t appoint you to his family enterprise. He appointed you on a seat where we, the public, are paying you. You are our employee. Listen to us, and read the constitution.”

Karua’s remarks amid IEBC debriefing on the November by-elections, which were marred by voter intimidation, bribery, and campaign disruptions in several constituencies.