Queue by 5pm? You'll still vote, IEBC tells Ol Kalou residents

With voting underway in the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has issued key reminders to voters, including how they will be identified, the secrecy of the ballot and who will still be allowed to vote after the official closing time.

Polling stations across the constituency opened at 6.00 am on Thursday, July 16, 2026, and are scheduled to close at 5.00 pm.

However, the commission said voters who are in the queue by the official closing time will still be allowed to cast their ballots.

The electoral agency added that any time lost during polling will be recovered at closing to ensure eligible voters are not disadvantaged.

Before receiving a ballot paper, the IEBC said all eligible voters appearing in the certified Register of Voters for the Ol Kalou by-election will be identified biometrically using the Kenya Integrated Elections Management System (KIEMS) kit.

The commission has also urged residents to take part in the electoral process peacefully.

"To all voters in the Ol Kalou by-election: your participation matters. We encourage you to turn out in large numbers and peacefully exercise your democratic right and vote for your preferred candidate," the IEBC said.

The electoral agency has also reiterated the importance of protecting the secrecy of the ballot throughout the voting exercise.

"The Commission reiterates that the secrecy of the ballot is a constitutional right guaranteed under Article 38(3)(b) and 81 (e) (i) of the Constitution and is a fundamental principle of democratic elections," the commission said.

It warned that photographing or recording a marked ballot paper is prohibited and amounts to an electoral offence.

"Any act that compromises this secrecy, including photographing or recording a marked ballot paper, undermines the integrity of the electoral process, exposes voters to undue influence, coercion, and vote-buying, and constitutes an electoral offence," the IEBC said.

The Ol Kalou by-election is being held to fill the parliamentary seat left vacant following the death of Jubilee Party MP David Njuguna Kiaraho on March 29, 2026.

The contest has attracted national attention and is widely viewed as a litmus test of political influence in the Mt. Kenya region ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Counting is expected to begin after polling closes, once all voters who are in the queue by 5.00 pm have cast their ballots.