Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has put the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) on the spot over claims by UDA Secretary-General Hassan Omar that dead Kenyans could be used to vote for President William Ruto in the 2027 General Election.
Sifuna wants the electoral agency to summon Omar and have him explain the remarks, saying they could damage Kenyans’ trust in the election process ahead of the polls.
Speaking in Kabuchai Constituency on Saturday, September 12, 2026, Sifuna said statements from a senior official of the ruling party should not be left unanswered, particularly when they concern the credibility of an election yet to be held.
“Tunataka IEBC, kwa sababu nanyi ndio wenye kuweka ile maadili ya uchaguzi, huyu Katibu Mkuu wa chama cha UDA aletwe pale IEBC kwa sababu he is eroding public confidence in our electoral processes,” Sifuna said.
Omar had claimed that fingerprints of deceased Kenyans could be used during the 2027 election to cast votes and increase Ruto’s tally.
Sifuna rejected the suggestion, saying the alleged manipulation would not save Ruto from defeat. He said even if votes belonging to dead Kenyans were added to the final tally, the President would still lose the election.
“Hata wakihesabu na kura ya mama Alina, Ruto anaenda nyumbani!” he said.
The senator also faulted Omar for raising the issue of election fraud before voting takes place, saying such remarks could create doubts about the credibility of the electoral process.
Sifuna described the comments as disrespectful to Kenyans and questioned why a political leader would publicly claim that an election would be stolen or manipulated.
“Ni kukosa heshima kwa Wakenya wewe akiwa kiongozi ati unasimama unasema kura itaibiwa, ati watafanya ukarabati,” Sifuna said.
He called on IEBC to give the matter attention, arguing that Kenyans should be allowed to exercise their political choices freely and without interference.
Sifuna questions SHIF performance
Sifuna also turned his attention to the government’s healthcare reforms, questioning claims about the performance of the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) under the Ruto administration.
He pointed to a recent case in the South Rift where a fundraising event was organised for a patient who had reportedly been unable to pay a hospital bill.
The senator questioned why SHIF had not settled the bill if the programme was delivering the benefits claimed by the government.
“Mbona hakumtuma kwa SHIF? Mbona hakumpatia namba wa huyo Wang’ang’a ampigie simu CEO wa SHIF amwambie ‘enda SHIF itakulipia’?” he posed.
Sifuna said Kenyans were still dealing with economic and social challenges despite government assurances that the country was making progress.
The latest exchange comes as political parties and leaders increase their mobilisation ahead of the 2027 General Election, with the credibility of the electoral process expected to remain a major issue in the political contest.