IEBC chairperson Erastus Ethekon./FILE
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has said that preparations for the July 16, 2026, Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election are in the final stages, with the training of key election officials largely complete.
The commission said training for Deputy Presiding Officers (DPOs) and Presiding Officers (POs) has been successfully concluded, while the training of Polling Clerks is currently underway across Ol Kalou Constituency.
According to the IEBC, the exercise is aimed at equipping election officials with the knowledge and skills needed to conduct a free, fair, transparent and credible election.
"The training equips election officials with the knowledge and skills required to conduct a free, fair, transparent, and credible election, as the IEBC finalises preparations for polling day," IEBC said.
The by-election is scheduled for Thursday, July 16, as the electoral agency finalises logistical and administrative preparations ahead of polling day.
The commission urged Kenyans to rely on its official communication channels for accurate and up-to-date information regarding the by-election.
The assurance comes days after IEBC warned that it could postpone or even cancel the Ol Kalou by-election if insecurity and breaches of the electoral code of conduct persist.
"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," IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon said.
Speaking in Nairobi during the launch of the 2022 Pre-Election Dispute Resolution Committee (DRC) Report and Case Digest on Thursday, Ethekon said the commission would not hesitate to invoke its constitutional powers if the situation on the ground continued to deteriorate.
The IEBC chairperson condemned incidents of violence, voter bribery, destruction of campaign materials and the alleged use of hired gangs during campaigns in Ol Kalou, saying such actions threaten the integrity of the electoral process.
He said the commission had already deployed investigative teams to the constituency and would strictly enforce the Electoral Code of Conduct.
"We will be very firm in enforcing the code of conduct," Ethekon said.
He added that candidates found responsible for violating the code could face sanctions, including disqualification.
"When we find any culpability or any breaches of the code of conduct, the proper remedies shall apply up to, including disqualifying some of those candidates," he said.
Ethekon's warning came as the IEBC launched the report documenting the handling of pre-election disputes during the 2022 General Election.
He said the commission resolved 323 pre-election disputes within the timelines set by law and noted that courts upheld the majority of the decisions.
