Additionally, state projects are also allegedly being timed strategically to sway undecided voters, while local administrative leaders, such as chiefs and local administrators, stand accused of mobilizing residents in clear violation of existing electoral laws meant to protect ordinary citizens.
Amnesty insists these are not isolated cases scattered randomly across Ol Kalou, but rather a deliberate and systematic pattern designed to undermine the constitutional right to free and fair elections.
“These practices are not isolated incidents; they represent a systematic assault on the constitutional right of Kenyans under Article 38 to free, fair, and credible elections,” stated Amnesty.
Violence, through the increasing goon culture, has also crept into the campaign period, with rival supporters clashing in incidents that have left several people injured and, tragically, others dead across the constituency in recent weeks, with the attack on the campaign truck belonging to the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) in Gilgil on July 11 by armed men forming the basis of Amnesty’s argument.
Amnesty says this in and of itself is a fully-fledged attack on democratic participation, warning that such incidents are fueling a dangerous climate of impunity around the entire by-election process ahead of the crucial July 16 vote.
“These attacks not only endanger lives but also undermine the rule of law, casting aspersions on electoral integrity,” stated Amnesty.
The organisation is now pushing for immediate investigations and prosecutions of anyone implicated in bribery or intimidation, regardless of their political standing or office held, including sitting Members of Parliament, Cabinet Secretaries, and public officers.
Amnesty also wants stricter enforcement of campaign regulations, particularly restrictions on late-night rallies and the destruction of rival campaign materials, which have become common across the constituency in the homestretch of the campaigns towards the elections.
Beyond investigations, the group wants IEBC to publicly commit to halting the process if conditions remain compromised, insisting that postponement should stay firmly on the table if needed to guarantee credible outcomes for voters.
“Amnesty International Kenya demands public assurances from IEBC that the by-election will not proceed under conditions of violence and corruption, and that postponement remains an option if minimum standards of credibility cannot be guaranteed,” the lobby group said.
