With voting underway in the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has stepped in to explain how voters who need assistance should be helped, while reminding residents that the law protects both their right to vote and the secrecy of the ballot.
The commission issued the clarification on Thursday, July 16, 2026, as polling continued across the Nyandarua County constituency, where voters are choosing a new Member of the National Assembly.
"The Commission reminds the public that voters who require assistance due to disability, illiteracy, or other lawful reasons are entitled to be assisted by a person of their own choice," the IEBC said.
The electoral body said the law also provides clear safeguards to ensure the assistance process is not abused.
"However, only one assistant is permitted, and no person shall assist more than one voter. Such assistance shall be recorded, and the assistant shall be appropriately marked as proof of having assisted a voter, in accordance with the law," the commission said.
An elderly woman being assisted to cast her vote at AC Primary School on July 16, 2026 as peaceful voting continued in Ol Kalou Town.
PHOTO/IEBC
The IEBC further called on eligible voters to turn up peacefully and take part in the exercise.
"To all voters in the Ol Kalou by-election: your participation matters. We encourage you to turn out in large numbers and peacefully exercise your democratic right and vote in your preferred candidate," the commission said.
It also reminded residents that every eligible voter listed in the certified Register of Voters for the constituency must first be identified using the Kenya Integrated Elections Management System (KIEMS) kit before receiving ballot papers.
The commission also cautioned voters against taking photographs or recording marked ballot papers, saying the Constitution guarantees the secrecy of the vote. It warned that such actions undermine the integrity of the election and amount to an electoral offence.
Polling centres opened at 6.00 am and are expected to close at 5.00 pm. According to the commission, any time lost during the voting process will be recovered at the end of polling, while every voter who is in the queue by the official closing time will still be allowed to cast a ballot.
The by-election is being held to elect a successor to Jubilee Party MP David Njuguna Kiaraho, whose death on March 29, 2026, left the seat vacant. The contest has drawn national attention and is widely seen as an early political test in the Mt. Kenya region ahead of the 2027 General Election.