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His appeal followed a difficult week for the commission, which was placed under sharp criticism after the November 27 by-elections.The vote was marred by claims of violence, intimidation, bribery and ballot stuffing in some areas, leading to public attacks from Opposition leaders.
LSK said its observers had been monitoring the elections closely and were troubled by the level of unrest, noting that elections are meant to be peaceful exercises in democratic participation. The society emphasized that no citizen should face threats or intimidation when exercising their right to vote.
Speaking moments after being announced the winner, Hassan expressed deep gratitude to the people of Banissa, dedicating the victory to them rather than himself.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) confirmed that Were collected 16,819 votes, surpassing independent candidate Philip Aroko, who received 8,476 votes.
In Baringo County, voter participation remained low during the senatorial by-election. UDA candidate Vincent Chemitei voted at Kamailel Primary School, where just 35 of 436 registered voters had turned out by early afternoon. Analysts attributed the low turnout to the withdrawal of KANU leader Gideon Moi, which reduced competition
The IEBC urged members of the public to rely only on verified information from official channels and to ignore rumours or false claims that could undermine confidence in the electoral process.
IEBC chairman Erastus Ethekon said the commission was working closely with security agencies to address disturbances and ensure order is restored swiftly in areas where incidents were recorded.
In Malava Constituency, Kakamega County, tensions rose after Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K) leader Eugene Wamalwa accused United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidate David Ndakwa of orchestrating an attack on DAP-K aspirant Seth Panyako. Wamalwa also alleged attempts to obstruct police operations at certain polling stations.
IEBC Vice Chairperson Fahima Araphat noted that while polling stations were operating without issues and the process was peaceful, the number of voters arriving in the first hours was below expectations.
Focusing on Kasipul, Orero noted its historical alignment as an ODM stronghold and highlighted tensions caused by independent candidates emerging after party nominations. Orero stressed that the outcome of these local contests carries national significance, as it will shape public trust in Kenya’s democratic processes.
Any lost time at opening will be recovered at closing, and voters in the queue by 5 pm will be allowed to vote.
According to the Elections Act, presiding officers must open ballot boxes and count votes at the polling stations in an open procedure that allows public scrutiny. Agents can photograph official results forms, and each station is required to display its tally for public viewing.