Former Public Service Cabinet Secretary and Democratic Party (DP) leader Justin Muturi has raised alarm over a surge in vehicles roaming Mbeere North with unmarked tail plates on the eve of the by-election.

While speaking in Siakago, which will serve as the Mbeere North tallying centre, on Wednesday, November 26, 2025, Muturi noted that the vehicles are carrying unidentified individuals who are not known to the locals.

He further stated that hotels in Embu Town and Mbeere North are full of unidentified people allegedly brought in by politicians aligned to the state.

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According to Muturi, this is one of the state’s desperate attempts to rig the hotly contested by-election in their favour.

“There is an unusual number of unmarked cars and vehicles without number plates and registration numbers crisscrossing the entire constituency, and they are carrying people unknown to residents in Mbere North,” Muturi said.

He expressed disappointment with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), saying he has lost trust in the commission because, in his view, it has failed to address such matters.

Muturi also criticised the commission’s decision to introduce plainclothes police officers in tallying centres, arguing that ordinary citizens will not be able to distinguish them from thugs and hired goons who may be used to influence the election outcome.

He stated that their supporters will remain peaceful as they exercise their democratic right and warned that any chaos instigated by the opposing side would be neutralised, saying that force would be met with force.

Mbeere North is gradually becoming a hotspot in the by-election slated for tomorrow, aligning with an earlier IEBC statement that mapped the area together with Kasipul as a potential tension zone.

Also watch: IEBC responds to bribery claims as Malava heads to November 27 by-election.

Gachaguas remarks

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, who has spearheaded campaigns in the constituency, has also raised several concerns about the conduct of the by-election.

He claimed there is a plan to introduce more than 15,000 pre-marked ballot papers, with plainclothes police officers whom he says have been cleared by the IEBC to access polling stations being the ones to insert the marked ballots.

Gachagua urged Mbeere North residents not to leave polling stations after voting so they can detect any suspicious activity.

He encouraged them to record and share any incidents and, after ensuring everything is in order at the polling centres, proceed to the constituency tallying centre in Siakago to continue guarding their candidate’s votes.

This comes at a time when DP candidate Newton Karish is set to face United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidate Leonard Wamuthende in the mini-polls meant to replace Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku.