By John Mutiso
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has alleged that the government is planning to orchestrate power blackouts in areas holding by-elections on Thursday to facilitate vote rigging under the cover of darkness.
Speaking on Wednesday during the United Opposition’s press briefing, Gachagua claimed to have credible intelligence about a multi-faceted plan to manipulate the electoral outcomes in Malava, Mbeere North, and Magharini constituencies.
“We have credible information that part of the strategy that they have put in place, in case they don’t succeed in introducing the pre-marked ballot papers during the day, is to bring out officers in civilian clothes, who will cause chaos at 5 pm to delay the votes counting until nightfall,” Gachagua stated.
He added that the alleged plan involves using darkness as cover for ballot stuffing.
“When it’s dark, they will have power blackouts in all these areas so that it creates an environment for chaos and make it easy to get the pre-marked ballots into the ballot boxes,” the former DP claimed.
Gachagua directly addressed Energy Cabinet Secretary, demanding assurances that power supply would remain stable during the electoral process.
“We warn the Energy CS, and he needs to promise that there will be no power black outs in the areas where the by-elections are held,” he said.
The former Deputy President also revealed that law enforcement officers were providing real-time intelligence to the opposition about government plans.
“I want to tell this government that those police officers are as dissatisfied as everyone else because they are also parents and their pay slips have been raided, so they are relaying to us all those plans the government is making in real time,” Gachagua stated.
DAP-K leader Eugene Wamalwa made specific allegations about the distribution of pre-marked ballot papers to the three constituencies.
“We are aware that 15,000 pre-marked ballot papers are headed to Mbeere North, and 10,000 are headed to Malava. And another 10,000 to Magharini. You can see Mbeere North has the highest, the main target. Tonight they are being dispatched,” Wamalwa claimed.
The allegations come against the backdrop of heightened tensions following the withdrawal of security details for key opposition figures ahead of the Malava by-election.
Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale and Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya both had their security withdrawn on Wednesday, moves they characterized as political intimidation.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen defended the withdrawals, linking them to concerns about planned violence and allegations that some officers attached to VIPs were working with criminal elements.
“There have been cases where police officers attached to VIPs have misused their firearms. Therefore, any security measure taken by the National Police Service is aimed at preventing a crisis. If a police officer attached to a VIP is working with goons, the first thing is to take them away before even we deal with the said goons,” Murkomen explained.
Khalwale directly confronted President William Ruto over the security withdrawals, questioning whether the President was aware of the actions taken against him and Governor Natembeya.
“Mr. President, are you aware that the security of George Natembeya has been withdrawn? Are you aware that the security of Dr. Boney Khalwale has been withdrawn? You have given me six police officers as per my office, where are they? What are you planning to do?” Khalwale asked.
“Your Excellency, you are our president. I ask you, are you aware that a former minister in this county of Kakamega, a former minister, has been afforded youth from Nairobi? I do not know what they want to come and do in Kakamega. Mr. President, are you aware?” Khalwale questioned.
