NAIROBI, Kenya July 10 – Mavoko Member of Parliament Patrick Makau has called on the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to urgently investigate alleged voter bribery in the upcoming Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election, claiming residents are being induced with cash and goods in exchange for their national identity cards.
Speaking in Nyandarua County ahead of the July 16 mini-poll, Makau alleged that state-backed campaigners were using money and public resources to influence voters and deny them their constitutional right to vote.
“We are telling IEBC; we know the electoral laws. You are not supposed to bribe voters,” Makau said.
“President Ruto, this is wrong. You do not have to spend or use bribery on Kenyans with our own taxpayers’ money to win that seat.”
The Mavoko legislator alleged that households across Ol Kalou were receiving cash, gas cylinders and food before being asked to surrender their national identity cards.
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“Right now, if you go to Ol Kalou, every household is being given Sh5,000, a gas cylinder and food, and then they are told to surrender their identity cards,” he claimed.
Makau argued that collecting identity cards from voters could prevent them from participating in the July 16 election.
“This confiscation strips citizens of their constitutional right to participate in the election,” he said.
Makau’s claims come after Nakuru Town East MP David Gikaria defended the collection of identification details during campaign activities in the constituency.
Gikaria acknowledged that campaign funds had been distributed but rejected claims that the exercise was intended to manipulate the election.
“If an ID is not requested, you use a thumbprint and then you say that people are asking for IDs to steal votes,” Gikaria said.
He explained that the collection of ID details was meant to account for campaign resources and identify the polling stations where beneficiaries were registered.
The allegations have emerged as several government-backed programmes continue in Nyandarua County ahead of the by-election.
Among them is the distribution of 20,000 liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders, coordinated by Energy Principal Secretary Alex Wachira alongside former Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria.
The government has also deployed two motorised boats at Gwa Kiongo Dam, with the projects coming just days before residents head to the ballot.
Opposition leaders have questioned the timing of the projects, arguing they could influence voters, while the government has maintained that development initiatives are part of its service delivery agenda.
Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua has urged Ol Kalou residents to accept any development projects or gifts but vote according to their conscience.
“Let the government and UDA campaigners give you the gas cylinder and a mattress,” Gachagua said.
“Let them deliver even speedboats, transformers, bullet trains, water tanks, milk and potato coolers and all that has not been delivered to Ol Kalou since 1963.”
“My great people of Ol Kalou, do not give away your voting right. You have so far done very well in resisting goodies and cash to sway you. Don’t be deceived at the last minute.”
The July 16 by-election will fill the parliamentary seat left vacant following the death of MP David Njuguna Kiaraho in March.
The race has attracted national attention, with UDA’s Muchina Nyaga, DCP’s Sammy Kamau Ngotho and Jubilee’s Wilson Kigwa among the leading candidates.
