NAIROBI, Kenya Jul 10 – Senior Counsel Philip Murgor has cautioned Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairperson Erastus Edung Ethekon that the responsibility of safeguarding Kenya’s electoral integrity ultimately rests with the commission’s leadership.
Speaking Thursday during the launch of the 2022 Pre-Election Dispute Resolution Committee Report and Case Digest at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Nairobi, Murgor warned against a repeat of the events surrounding the disputed 2007 General Election.
He reminded the new IEBC chair that decisions made by electoral institutions can have far-reaching consequences for national stability and public confidence in democratic processes.
Drawing parallels with the tenure of former Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK) Chairperson Samuel Kivuitu, Murgor said electoral managers must resist political pressure and uphold the law regardless of the prevailing political environment.
“The buck stops with you,” Murgor told Ethekon, emphasizing that impartial dispute resolution and operational independence remain central to peaceful and credible elections.
The warning comes as political activity intensifies ahead of the July 16 Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election and preparations for the 2027 General Election gather pace.
Responding to the concerns, Ethekon defended the commission’s readiness, saying lessons from previous elections and judicial decisions are shaping current electoral processes.
“The path to the polls must be paved with integrity. This report is not merely a record of past challenges but a roadmap for ensuring every electoral dispute is handled with fairness and judicial clarity required to protect the voice of the Kenyan voter,” Ethekon said.
“Our commitment is to ensure that justice is not only done but is seen to be done at every stage of the electoral cycle,” he added.
The IEBC chief said the newly launched report provides an important legal and administrative framework to guide the commission in handling disputes transparently and within constitutional timelines.
The discussion comes amid growing scrutiny over campaign conduct in the Ol Kalou by-election in Nyandarua County.
Political actors have raised concerns over the distribution of 20,000 liquefied petroleum gas cylinders to households under a government clean energy programme during the campaign period.
The exercise attracted criticism from rival camps, with questions emerging over reports that residents were asked to provide national identity cards before receiving the cylinders.
The by-election has also drawn the attention of former Deputy President and Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua, who has thrown his weight behind the opposition campaign in the constituency following the death of area MP David Kiaraho.
While addressing residents, Gachagua urged voters to accept any goods or support offered during campaigns but to make independent decisions at the ballot box.
The commission has cleared nine candidates to contest the seat, setting up a closely watched battle between the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and the emerging Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP).
UDA has fielded Samuel Muchina Nyagah while DCP is backing Sammy Kamau Ngotho in the contest, alongside seven other candidates seeking to win over voters across the constituency’s 144 gazetted polling stations.
The July 16 by-election is expected to provide an early indication of how the reconstituted IEBC intends to enforce campaign regulations and electoral laws ahead of the 2027 General Election.
