The people of Ol Kalou went to the polls on June 16, 2026, and handed a resounding win to MP-elect Sammy Douglas Kamau Waweru amidst heavy terror that reigned on the voting day.

What started as a normal voting day quickly spiraled into near anarchy when gun toting men in masked faces descended on the peaceful town causing terror, mayhem and lawlessness.

The men, believed to be police drove around, some in unmarked vehicles, attacking residents and journalists and lobbing teargas to disperse crowds.

KHRC deployed 12 election monitors and four staff members across the constituency. Our observers were present before polling began, throughout voting and during the counting process. They documented events as they unfolded and verified their observations against reports from affected communities, journalists, election stakeholders and publicly available information.

Many of the incidents recorded during the by-election have already been reported. This statement draws together those events to show what they reveal about the direction of Kenya’s electoral environment and the issues that demand action before the 2027 general election. Measured against Article 81 of the Constitution, the conduct of the by-election did not meet the standards required for a free and fair election. The observations that follow set out where those constitutional safeguards failed in practice.

Noteworthy, Ol Kalou mirrored concerns documented during the Malava and Mbeere North by elections, where violence, intimidation, misuse of public resources and declining confidence in electoral institutions were also recorded. The recurrence of these violations across successive by elections suggests that they are becoming entrenched in Kenya’s electoral environment. Unless decisive action is taken, these conditions are likely to re-emerge during the 2027 general election, with serious implications for electoral credibility, public confidence and constitutional governance.

One death, dozens of injuries

KHRC documented serious human rights violations during the byelection. James Muigai Mwathi, aged 30, died from injuries sustained during violent attacks involving heavily armed security officers and organised groups. Dozens of other people were injured, while many reported assaults, robbery and the destruction of their property, leaving voters fearful and disrupting the conduct of the election.

Journalists were among those targeted during the by election with KHRC documenting attacks on 10 of them, including Jafferson Mwangi, Mary Mwathi, Elisha Gatua, Martin Wacera, Caroline Wachira, Enos Teche, Bridgette Ngana, George Kieru, Fiona Akinyi and Dickson Matakwa, who were assaulted and robbed at gunpoint while carrying out their professional duties.

These attacks raise serious concerns about media freedom and the public’s constitutional right to access information during elections. They signal a shrinking civic space ahead of the next poll, where intimidation of journalists could restrict independent reporting, weaken public oversight and reduce electoral transparency.

KHRC documented at least 10 unmarked vehicles, including Toyota Prado and Volkswagen models, carrying heavily armed officers across the constituency, some of whom were seen firing from moving vehicles. The rogue police officers in civilian, faces covered, and armed to the teeth with lethal weapons, including high-calibre rifles, teargas canisters, water cannons, and more, descended on and wreaked havoc at several polling stations, including Huruma, A.C. Primary School, Ol Kalou Comprehensive School, St. Joseph Primary School and Mundi Polling Station.

Should these operations recur during the 2027 general election, investigating electoral violence and identifying that responsible will become even more difficult, leaving victims with fewer avenues for justice and placing greater strain on the credibility of election security.

Bribery

Numerous incidents of voter bribery were recorded during the by-election, including cases involving public officials. In many instances, women were used to distribute money and other inducements on behalf of political actors. Their prominent role in these activities points to the exploitation of economic hardship for political ends, exposing women to electoral offences while those directing and financing the schemes remain largely out of public view.

Our monitors also observed irregularities in the administration of assisted voting as many elderly persons and persons with disabilities legitimately received assistance as provided for under the law, several instances suggested attempts to influence the electoral choices of assisted voters. -

Many voters remained at polling stations long after voting because they did not trust that their ballots would be secure once they left. Although electoral regulations require voters to leave after casting their ballots, many choose to stay and watch over the process. This loss of confidence in the institutions responsible for managing elections offers an early indication of the challenges that could shape the 2027 general election. Without decisive institutional reforms, more voters may feel compelled to guard the process themselves.