The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has announced that the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election is progressing smoothly, with voter turnout reaching 38.2 per cent by 1 p.m.
In a statement on Thursday, July 16, the commission said most polling stations in Ol Kalou opened at 6 a.m. as scheduled.
The electoral body commended Ol Kalou voters who braved the chilly morning weather to queue before polling stations opened.
“We appreciate Kenyans who woke up early in the morning, braving the chilly weather to queue at the various polling stations hours before opening,” IEBC stated.
The commission assured voters that any polling station experiencing delays in opening or interruptions during voting would have its polling hours extended by the amount of time lost to ensure every eligible voter has an opportunity to cast their ballot.
At the same time, IEBC cautioned against unauthorized persons accessing polling stations and tallying centres, clarifying that there is no legal provision for super agents or other unauthorized individuals, including political party leaders, to operate within the voting and tallying areas.
“Further, state officers and public officers who are registered voters are entitled to vote only at their designated polling stations. They are not permitted to roam from one polling station to another,” IEBC said.
IEBC emphasized that only accredited individuals with valid identification and badges would be allowed into tallying centres. While senior elected leaders and party officials may witness the tallying process.
IEBC urged them to respect the integrity of the centres and avoid actions that could disrupt or delay the announcement of results.
“We do not expect any leaders to engage in actions that could disrupt and delay the tallying and announcement of results” the commission stated.
Additionally, IEBC reminded aggrieved parties that electoral disputes should be resolved through the courts and announced that the by-election results would be available to the public through its official results portal.
