Eyes on IEBC as it readies for mini polls
By Samuel Kariuki, July 18, 2025With the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) fully constituted, the long-awaited by-elections in 22 electoral areas are finally set to proceed.
Some areas have been without representation for more than two years.
Though the commission has not published a calendar of events, Kenyans are eager to see how the electoral body will conduct the mini polls, widely viewed as a mirror of the 2027 elections.
IEBC is required to declare the seats vacant and issue a 90-day gazette notice.
“The respective speaker shall, within 21 days after the occurrence of the vacancy, give notice in writing of the vacancy to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission; and (b) a by-election shall be held within 90 days of the occurrence of the vacancy,” the constitution says in article 101 (4)(a and b).
In April when President William Ruto appointed the then Mbeere North MP Geoffrey Ruku as Public Service Cabinet Secretary, Wetang’ula declared the seat vacant after he received a resignation letter from Ruku.
Ruku, a first term MP was elected on a United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ticket.
People Daily could not independently verify if IEBC has been informed of the vacancies.
Sources at Parliament said that the speaker has issued the writs but maintained that role of declaring the seats vacant rests with the IEBC.
After the declaration of vacancy, other electoral processes that follow include announcing dates for party nominations and polling.
The commission will also have to update the voter registers which poses another headache to the commission as it decides whether to focus on the by-election areas or the entire nation in readiness of the 2027 elections.
This means the six constituencies and 15 county assemblies will have elected their new representatives, while Baringo County will have a new senator.
However, this will depend on whether IEBC can conduct flawless mini polls in all the affected electoral areas so as not to attract court cases.
For the National Assembly seats, Banisa in Mandera County has had the longest period — two years –without representation after the area MP Kullow Hassan died in March 2023. The MP was involved in a motorcycle accident and succumbed to his injuries. He was serving his second term having been elected to Parliament under the United Democratic Movement (UDM) party.
Electoral malpractice
Magarini Constituency in Kilifi County has been without an MP since March 2024 following the nullification of the election of Harrison Kombe by Supreme Court on August 9, 2022.
Kombe, who was elected on an Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) ticket, was found to have engaged in electoral malpractice through ballot stuffing and alteration of election results.
Supreme Court said in its ruling: “We affirm the judgment of the Court of Appeal, together with the directions on the declaration of the seat of the Member of the National Assembly for Magarini Constituency vacant and the direction to the 2nd respondent to conduct a by-election for Member of the National Assembly for Magarini Constituency in accordance with the law.”
Ugunja in Siaya County is set to have a new MP following the appointment of Opiyo Wandayi as the Cabinet Secretary of Energy and Petroleum in July last year.
Wandayi was among ODM’s top echelons that were appointed by President Ruto at the height of the Gen Z protests.
Two constituencies, Malava in Kakamega and Kasipul in Homa Bay are also gearing for by-elections after the death of their MPs this year.
Malava MP Injendi Malulu, who was serving his third term, died while undergoing treatment at the Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi in February.
His Kasipul counterpart Ong’ondo Were was shot dead in April.
Were, elected on an ODM ticket and serving his second term, was heading home from Parliament when he was ambushed by a gun man on a motorcycle.
The Baringo senatorial seat fell vacant after the death of William Cheptumo in February. He was a first-time UDA senator, having served as Baringo North MP for 14 years, from 2008 to 2022.