IEBC says Ol Kalou by-election voting concluded smoothly as counting begins

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has said voting in the Ol Kalou Parliamentary by-election was largely successful, with the exercise concluding peacefully in most polling stations as vote counting got underway.

In a statement on Thursday, IEBC Chairperson Erastus Edung Ethekon said the majority of polling stations opened at 6.00 a.m. as scheduled.

He noted that polling stations that experienced delays in opening or interruptions during voting would extend voting hours to compensate for the time lost, in line with the law.

According to the Commission, voter turnout stood at 38.2 percent of registered voters by 1.00 p.m.

“We commend the citizens, poll officials and security agencies for their professionalism, cooperation and commitment to maintain peace and order throughout the polling process,” the statement said.

Despite the Commission’s assessment, there were reports of isolated incidents of chaos in parts of the constituency, with some journalists among those affected.

Ethekon said voters were successfully identified using the Kenya Integrated Elections Management System (KIEMS) kits throughout the exercise.

He also reminded political parties that the law does not recognise “super agents” or any other unauthorised persons within polling stations or tallying centres.

“There is no provision in law for super agents or any unauthorised persons to operate within polling or tallying centres, including leaders and politicians,” he said.

The IEBC Chairperson added that state officers and public officers who are registered voters are entitled to cast their ballots.

With polling now closed, the counting of votes is underway. The presiding officers are required to open ballot boxes and tally votes transparently in the presence of party agents, observers and the media, as provided for under the law.