Willis Otieno says Ol Kalou poll exposes Kenya’s broken electoral system
By Mustafa Juma, July 15, 2026Safina Party deputy leader Willis Otieno has launched a scathing attack on the conduct of the upcoming Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election, arguing that the campaigns have exposed deep flaws in Kenya’s electoral system and raised fresh questions about the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission’s (IEBC) ability to guarantee free and fair elections.
In a statement issued via his official X account on the eve of the July 16, 2026, by-election, Otieno claimed widespread reports of voter bribery, intimidation and destruction of property had turned the contest into a test of Kenya’s democratic credentials.
“Tomorrow’s Ol Kalou by-election is becoming a damning indictment of Kenya’s electoral integrity. Reports of rampant voter bribery, intimidation, and destruction of property expose a political culture that has replaced persuasion with coercion and ideas with cash,” he said.
Hits out at IEBC
Otieno accused the electoral commission of reacting too slowly to reported electoral offences instead of preventing them.
“The IEBC has once again demonstrated that it is too often reactive when it should be preventive. A regulator that watches electoral offences unfold and responds with timid warnings instead of swift enforcement ceases to be a referee and becomes a bystander,” Otieno stated.
He argued that elections cannot be described as free and fair if voters are subjected to intimidation before polling day.
According to Otieno, democracy begins to erode long before votes are cast if institutions fail to stop electoral offences.
“Democracy dies long before ballot boxes are opened. It dies the moment state institutions tolerate criminality in the pursuit of political victory.”
The constitutional lawyer further warned that unless the IEBC firmly enforces electoral laws, Kenya risks reducing elections to “an expensive ritual whose outcome is shaped by fear, bribery and impunity rather than the sovereign will of the people”.
He also urged voters in Ol Kalou to reject attempts to influence their choices through cash handouts or intimidation.
“The people of Ol Kalou must reject every bribe, every threat, and every attempt to steal their voice. A seat won through intimidation is not a democratic mandate,” he said.
Comes amid growing concerns
Otieno’s remarks come against the backdrop of mounting concern over the conduct of campaigns in Ol Kalou.
In recent days, IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon warned that the commission could postpone or even cancel the by-election if violence and breaches of the Electoral Code of Conduct continued.
Reported violations include voter bribery that has seen the IEBC fine MP David Gikaria, campaigning outside legal hours, destruction of campaign materials, intimidation and violent confrontations between rival supporters.
The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) has also raised alarm over what it described as escalating political violence and electoral malpractice, saying it had received reports of organised attacks by hired gangs, voter bribery, unlawful night campaigns, gunshots, destruction of property and alleged misuse of state resources. The commission has deployed monitors to oversee the pre-election, polling day and post-election environment.
Similarly, Amnesty International Kenya has called for urgent investigations into reported election offences, urging the IEBC, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission to hold those responsible accountable.
Otieno’s earlier calls
Otieno has been among the most vocal critics of the conduct of the Ol Kalou campaigns.
Last week, he called for the disqualification of the UDA candidate, arguing that allegations of open voter bribery should attract the full force of Kenya’s electoral laws if the law is applied impartially.
High-stakes by-election
The Ol Kalou parliamentary seat fell vacant following the death of area MP David Kiaraho earlier this year, setting the stage for a closely watched contest that has attracted national political attention.
The by-election has evolved into an early political battleground ahead of the 2027 General Election, with both the ruling Kenya Kwanza coalition and opposition parties treating the outcome as a key indicator of public support.
However, as polling day approaches, concerns over violence, voter inducement and enforcement of electoral laws continue to dominate public debate, with rights groups and election observers warning that the credibility of the poll will ultimately depend not only on voting day procedures but also on whether authorities act decisively against those accused of violating the law.