Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma being rescued by police officers after he was assaulted by youths in Kasipul constituency on November 27, 2025. /ROBERT OMOLLOThe Law Society of Kenya has expressed concern over the handling of Thursday’s by-elections, highlighting challenges in maintaining peace during the polls.
LSK president Faith Odhiambo noted that the events could affect the country’s democratic stability ahead of the 2027 General Election.
In a statement on Friday, Odhiambo said the by-elections, held across 22 electoral units, were constitutionally overdue and necessary, but experienced significant political tension among rival formations.
Odhiambo said the society monitored the campaigns and received multiple reports of “pockets of violence” and heightened tensions that occasionally escalated into confrontations between candidates and their supporters.
She emphasised that Kenyans have a legitimate expectation that the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) and national security agencies take precautionary measures to maintain peace on polling day.
“However, the reports of unrest during the by-elections indicate a need for enhanced preparedness among key electoral stakeholders.”
Odhiambo added that the incidents highlighted challenges related to political tolerance among the electorate, noting that the election process fell short of the standards envisioned in Article 81 of the constitution, which requires elections to be free from violence, intimidation, and improper influence.
“This otherwise routine constitutional exercise reflected the intensity of political competition,” she said.
The LSK particularly noted the disturbances reported in Malava constituency, Kasipul constituency, Ekerenyo Ward, and Kabuchai/Chwele Ward, stating that elections “should be conducted in a manner that avoids disruption and disorder.”
Acknowledging Kenya’s politically engaged citizenry, Odhiambo cautioned that addressing these challenges is important to preserve democratic progress achieved since the 2010 constitution.
With less than two years to the next General Election, and ongoing matters such as boundary delimitation and voter register updates still pending, she said the country “cannot overlook the challenges observed during Thursday’s polls.”
The LSK is now demanding immediate deterrent action, calling on security agencies and the IEBC to launch urgent investigations to identify perpetrators of election-related violence.
Odhiambo urged the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to “swiftly initiate the prosecution of all persons found culpable and conclude such proceedings in the shortest time possible on account of the public interest implications.”
She further called for all election stakeholders — including civil society, the Judiciary, political parties and security agencies — to engage in joint preparedness discussions to assess institutional capacity ahead of 2027 and put in place necessary reinforcements.
As the country reflects on the chaotic by-elections, Odhiambo appealed to Kenyans to remain peaceful and exercise restraint in political expression.
“The people of Kenya retain a collective responsibility to guard the peace of the nation and protect it from being undermined for political expediency,” she said.
"In the words of our National Anthem, may we dwell in unity, peace and liberty."
