By Anderson Ojwang’
The just-concluded Ol Kalou by-election produced a master plan blueprint for the 2027 general elections to deter any would-be form of rigging and voter bribery in the general elections.
The blueprint is expected to render any fear and talks of possible rigging in the 2027 general elections, as advanced by some political quarters, obsolete.
If anything, the blueprint rubbishes the fear of possible rigging and produces a sense of confidence that the 2027 elections could translate into a free and fair exercise.
The goodies and bribery allegations
At the Ol Kalou by-elections during the campaigns, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) was concerned by the amount of developmental goodies to the residents, which were viewed as bribery.
IEBC even threatened to suspend the elections over allegations of voter bribery.
The IEBC Chairperson, Erastus Ethekon, raised concerns over what he described as development goodies and handouts that were channelled to Ol Kalou through government officials, including Cabinet Secretaries and Principal Secretaries.
“We have noted Cabinet Secretaries and Principal Secretaries campaigning. These small incidents are a precursor to what 2027 will be like, and we cannot allow this trajectory,” he said.
The IEBC Chairperson said the commission had already dispatched a team of investigators to Ol Kalou on a fact-finding mission, after which those found culpable would be summoned for appropriate action.
Former Cabinet Minister Moses Kuria, who was also in charge of coordinating development in Ol Kalou, is still in awe over the loss despite the developmental goodies.
The goodies ranged from road works, revival of the Nairobi-Gilgil-Ol Kalou-Nyahururu railway line, electrification projects, and water projects, provision of 20,000 LPG gas cylinders, 100,000 avocado seedlings, 1,000 hectares of land put under irrigation at Gwa Kiongo Dam, and the Blue Economy projects in Gwa Kiongo, Githunguri and Lake Ol Bolosat, including the now famous fishing boats, the Land Registry in Ol Kalou, Mashujaa Wing in JM Kariuki Hospital, Ol Kalou Stadium, affordable housing projects including the NHC project and the hostels at Rurii TVET, the construction of Nyandarua University, and boats and fingerlings to the dams.
The by-election was a classical example of how voter bribery and inducement have been rampant in the country’s political landscape.
But still, the government suffered an overwhelming election loss by 86 percent – a testament of what may come in 2027.
What is in the Ol Kalou blueprint?
The Ol Kalou by-election has opened a new chapter in the country’s politics and exposed the inherent weaknesses displayed by the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) in vote protection and voter turnout in subsequent general elections.
DCP party leader Rigathi Gachagua laid bare the strategy, which included having his team blow the whistle at 4.00 am to wake up the residents to be ready for the polling stations.
By 5.00 am, women and the elderly were in the queue ready to vote by 6.00 am once the polling stations opened. After the women, they were followed by the young generation and men.
By 11.00 am, Gachagua said most of the voters had voted because they had intelligence reports of a possible disruption of the exercise by 11.00 am.
“After most of the residents had voted, they transformed into the security details and monitors to avert any form of rigging, bribery, and manipulation of voters and votes at the polling stations,” he said.
Rehearsal
Gachagua said the by-election was a rehearsal on how to bribe and steal the elections on one side and on how to protect the votes on the other.
“Now we have a blueprint. We know how it works, and as we move to the elections, we understand each party better. You must start earlier preparation for voter protection and capacity building. We don’t want last-minute engagement,” he said.
Game plan
Gachagua’s game plan includes deploying 500 youths to monitor, offer security, and protect votes in all the biggest polling stations in the country.
For small polling stations, he targets to have 300 youths, and the smallest 200 for vote protection.
Gachagua said at the general elections, they have reversed the voting pattern and order.
“The young people will vote first. We have changed the old voting pattern of the women and the old voting first because of the kind of man we are dealing with,” he said.
The plot
He said the young people from the age 18-35 years will by 4.00 am be at the polling stations in readiness to vote.
“We anticipate that by 6.00 am when the polling stations open to voters, and hope that within 30 minutes all the young people shall have voted to allow other groups,” he said.
Gachagua said the next group to vote will be the mothers, who then will be followed by those between the age of 35-55 to vote.
The final group to vote will be the elderly from 55 years and above, while mothers and elders between the age of 60 years and above will be allowed to return home after voting.
“For those who are 50 years and below, they will remain at the polling stations to guard the votes. Only expectant mothers and lactating mothers will go home,” he said.
He said at the Ol Kalou by-election, women refused to go back home and became part of the vote protection unit, and in next year’s election, they will become part of the unit.
“We have accepted in Mt Kenya for women to be around as the voter protection defence force,” he said.
Capacity building
Gachagua told his team that in every meeting they should start sensitising every voter on vote protection and that voting itself is not enough to win an election.
“We have resolved that on voting day, the day will be reserved for voting alone, and the residents will only have two meals. Breakfast at 4.00 am, and then dinner will be eaten after the results have been announced. That day is for voting and nothing else,” he said.
