UDA Candidate Alleges Irregularities in Ol Kalou By-Election
He also claimed that reports from his supporters indicated that some individuals were distributing money to voters inside polling stations as voting commenced.
Photo: Courtesy.
By Linda Olendo
United Democratic Alliance candidate Samuel Muchina Nyaga has called on the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission to investigate alleged electoral malpractices during the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election, claiming that his campaign team was targeted and that voter bribery occurred at some polling stations.
Speaking shortly after casting his vote on Thursday, Muchina said the voting process had been largely peaceful but raised concerns over incidents that he believes could undermine the credibility of the election.
The UDA candidate alleged that one of his campaign vehicles was set on fire overnight while transporting party agents in the Mugumo area. According to him, unidentified individuals attacked the vehicle, although the situation was later brought under control.
“I have not had an incident except yesterday, when one of my vehicles transporting my agents in Mugumo was burnt by goons, but the situation was later controlled,” Muchina said.
He also claimed that reports from his supporters indicated that some individuals were distributing money to voters inside polling stations as voting commenced.
“This morning I heard that some individuals were giving out money inside the polling stations. I am calling on the IEBC to investigate the issue because I have heard from my people that there were some people in some of the polling stations who were trying to bribe voters,” he said.
Muchina urged the electoral commission to conduct thorough investigations into the allegations, saying prompt action would help safeguard the integrity of the electoral process. He expressed confidence that the commission would address any verified cases of misconduct.
“I believe the IEBC will take action on those people so that we can have free and fair elections,” he said.
Although he had not yet filed a formal complaint at the time of speaking, Muchina said he intended to report the alleged incidents to the relevant authorities for investigation.
“I have come from home and have not yet reported, but because I am a law-abiding citizen, I will go and report to the agencies for investigations to take place,” he added.
Despite the allegations, the UDA candidate praised the overall conduct of the by-election, describing the security arrangements as effective and noting that voting had proceeded peacefully across many polling stations.
He also welcomed what he described as a strong voter turnout, attributing it to an active three-month campaign period that gave candidates ample opportunity to engage residents across the constituency.
“I feel the process is good because people have turned up in good numbers. We have had three months to campaign, and we have done our best, and we encourage everyone to come out in large numbers to vote for their next MP who will serve for one year,” Muchina said.
Expressing optimism about the outcome, the UDA candidate said he was confident the final results would reflect the will of the electorate. He encouraged eligible voters who had not yet cast their ballots to participate peacefully and allow the democratic process to continue without disruption.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission had not publicly responded to Muchina’s allegations at the time of publication. Likewise, there was no immediate confirmation from security agencies regarding the reported vehicle fire or the alleged voter bribery.
The Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election is being closely watched as residents elect a representative to serve the remainder of the current parliamentary term. Voting continued under heightened security, with election officials urging candidates, party agents, and voters to uphold peace and comply with electoral laws throughout the exercise.
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