A campaign truck belonging to the Democratic Congress Party (DCP) was attacked and later set ablaze by hooded men in Chokereria area of Gilgil on Saturday, raising fresh concerns over rising political violence ahead of the Ol Kalou by-election.
Videos circulating on social media captured chaotic scenes as masked gunmen travelling in vehicles with concealed or missing registration plates ambushed the DCP campaign vehicle, sending supporters scrambling for safety.
Footage showed women and men who had been campaigning atop the truck screaming for help as the attack unfolded.
Several supporters were seen jumping off the moving vehicle before fleeing into nearby areas to escape the assailants.
In another amateur video recorded moments after the attack, two men dressed in black were seen hurling stones at the stationary truck before thick smoke began billowing from the vehicle in what appeared to be an arson attack.
The truck, wrapped in DCP party colours, sustained extensive visible damage.
The incident comes amid heightened political tensions in Nyandarua County, where campaigns for the forthcoming Ol Kalou by-election have been marred by accusations of intimidation and violence.
In a statement shared on social media on Saturday, DCP Economic Adviser Peter Mbae alleged that the attackers were linked to the state, accusing them of attempting to derail the electoral process.
"Our DCP truck was attacked and shot at by state goons at Pembroke on the way to Gilgil, suspected to be police officers in civilian clothes travelling in a Prado and a Subaru," Mbae claimed.
"They are trying hard to provoke violence in line with their plan of postponing the by-election, but we are not taking the bait. The gang imported for this purpose will have to find something else to do," he added.
His claims had not been independently verified, and there was no immediate response from the police or other government agencies regarding the allegations.
The attack comes just days after the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) warned that persistent insecurity could force it to postpone or even cancel the Ol Kalou by-election.
Speaking in Nairobi during the launch of the 2022 Pre-Election Dispute Resolution Committee (DRC) Report and Case Digest on Thursday, IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon said the commission would invoke its constitutional mandate if violence continued to threaten the credibility of the poll.
"In the event that, working with the security officials and other stakeholders, we find that the environment is not conducive enough for us to conclude the by-election in Ol Kalou, we will be left with no choice other than to take the most unfortunate and drastic step of postponing the elections in Ol Kalou. And if that's not enough, we will cancel it altogether," Ethekon said.
The IEBC chairperson condemned incidents of violence, voter bribery, destruction of campaign materials and the alleged deployment of hired gangs during campaigns, warning that such acts undermine the integrity of the electoral process.
He urged political parties, candidates and their supporters to adhere to the electoral code of conduct and allow voters to exercise their democratic rights in a peaceful environment.
The Ol Kalou by-election has attracted intense political interest, with rival camps mounting vigorous campaigns in what is being viewed as a key electoral contest.
