IEBC Launches Probe After Two Killed in Kasipul By-Election Campaign Violence

Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Launches Probe into Two Murders in Kasipul By-Election Campaign Violence.

This is in response to the death of two individuals in a violent political rally in Kasipul Constituency ahead of the upcoming by-election, which was launched by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

The event took place on Thursday, November 8, when a group of alleged hit men invaded a campaign rally being held by Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) candidate Boyd Were, in Central Kasipul.

It is claimed that the attackers interrupted the meeting and created havoc that saw two individuals killed and many others wounded. After this bloodless confrontation, charges were leveled against his prime opponent, Philip Aroko, claiming that he had committed the atrocities against members of his party to threaten his supporters and bring his campaign to a standstill.

My opponent has gone so far as to employ violence as a means of acquiring an unfair advantage, which was alleged during a press briefing after the incident.

However, Aroko refuted the allegations and argued that the camp of Were was the one that got violent to spoil the efforts of his team. "We are the victims here.

They are attempting to disgrace our name since they are afraid of losing," Aroko said. On Friday, the IEBC denounced the violence, saying it is a gross violation of the Electoral Code of Conduct.

Commission Chairperson Erastus Ethekon declared that a team of investigators had been sent to Kasipul to determine the truth and prescribe relevant disciplinary action to be taken against those who had perpetrated the same. According to Ethekon, the commission had deployed a team to look into the incident with express directives to find out culpability and recommend action to be taken in accordance with the Electoral Code of Conduct.

The failure to comply with the code has severe punitive implications, such as the disqualification of candidates or parties that were found guilty. Ethekon made it clear that violence would not be condoned in any way because it destroys democracy.

He also reported that the IEBC had requested reinforcement by the National Police Service to have a comprehensive investigation and to restore tranquillity in the region.

In the condolence message to the affected families, the IEBC statement encouraged the security agencies to act promptly in order to probe into these atrocious actions and prosecute the offenders.

Violence cannot be a part of a democratic society, and it has to be treated with a strong and legitimate answer.

The election authority reiterated that it would have free, fair, and peaceful elections. It encouraged all the candidates and political parties involved in the Kasipul by-election to be restrained and respect the rule of law. The statement went on to affirm the unswerving resolve of the commission to uphold the sanctity of the electoral process and to make sure that each Kenyan enjoys their democratic right in an atmosphere devoid of fear, violence, intimidation or coercion.

The call is made to all the stakeholders, political leaders, candidates, and citizens to be mature, tolerant, and respectful of the democratic process. One of the six parliamentary by-elections will be in the constituency of Kasipul, which will take place on November 27. The by-election came about due to the death of the area MP, Ong'ondo Were, who was murdered on April 30 on his way home in Nairobi.

The assassination of the late legislator was a great shock to the nation, and it left the nation without a leader in the constituency. With the campaigns to fill the vacant seat becoming more and more intense, the IEBC has restated the fact that it is important to maintain peace and order during the election period a collective responsibility.

The commission also threatened that any candidate who is discovered to encourage or condone violence will be heavily punished, including being disqualified.

Our message is plain and simple: we need the elections to be a battle of ideas and not a field to fight with violence, said Ethekon.

The IEBC has requested the cooperation of residents, political parties, and security agencies to help in ensuring truth is established and justice is served, a move that will see a credible and peaceful election in Kasipul.