Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has criticized the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) over its warning that it could postpone the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election, accusing it of failing to enforce the law against those allegedly engaging in electoral offences.

In a statement on his X account on Thursday, July 9, 2026, Sifuna dismissed the commission’s position as an attempt to evade its constitutional mandate.

Sifuna argued that the IEBC should take action against individuals accused of bribing voters and misusing state resources instead of threatening to halt the election.

“This is just IEBC running away from responsibility. Everyone can see who is violating the law,” Sifuna said.

He argued that the commission already has sufficient grounds to act against those accused of electoral malpractice.

“The commission should punish those openly bribing voters and using state resources to campaign. Instead it creates a false equivalence and threatens to punish everyone. Very escapist,” he added.

Gachagua’s take on postponement

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has also claimed that President Ruto spent over Ksh1 billion on voter bribery and Ksh10 billion on development projects in the constituency, but claimed the efforts has failed to sway voters.

“Mr. William Ruto has spent over Ksh1 billion on bribes in Ol Kalou Constituency, and it is not working. He has spent Ksh10 billion on projects, and it is not working,” Gachagua said in a Facebook post.

He further stated that the President is now pushing the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to postpone the election to create more time for campaigning.

“He is now pushing the IEBC to postpone the election and give him time to splash more money and see whether it will work,” he said.

Gachagua also said that there were plans to sponsor violence over the weekend to provide grounds for the electoral commission to defer the by-election.

“The new plan is to unleash goons this weekend to cause violence and give the IEBC the reason they so desperately need to postpone the election slated for 16th July 2026,” he alleged.

IEBC elections on Ol Kalou

This comes as the IEBC warns that it could postpone or even cancel the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election if violence, voter bribery and other electoral malpractices continue ahead of Thursday’s poll.

Speaking in Nairobi on Thursday, July 9, 2026, IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon said the commission would not hesitate to take the drastic step if the environment is deemed unsafe for a credible election.

“If we find that the environment is not conducive enough for us to conclude the by-election in Ol Kalou, we will be left with no choice other than to take the most unfortunate and drastic step of postponing the elections in Ol Kalou. And if that’s not enough, we will cancel it altogether,” Ethekon said.