By John Mutiso
The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) has condemned former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua following his scathing attack on IEBC Vice Chairperson Fahima Araphat Abdallah over the upcoming Magarini by-election.
In a letter to the IEBC chairperson, the party dismissed Gachagua’s allegations as baseless and called for action against what it described as his pattern of reckless political behavior.
The ruling party has launched a fierce defense of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) leadership, describing Gachagua’s recent letter as a ‘misguided missile of pent-up vendetta’ filled with unfounded accusations.
UDA accused the former Deputy President of launching characteristic attacks on Commissioner Fahima Araphat Abdallah through what they termed ‘sensational accusations’ regarding the selection of electoral officials for the Magarini Constituency by-election scheduled for November 27, 2025.
The party issued three key demands to the electoral body.
First, UDA urged the IEBC to exercise maximum legal caution when dealing with Gachagua, arguing that his long and well-documented disregard for public order imperatives should neither be underestimated nor condoned.
Second, the party called upon other institutions of governance to act as prescribed by law and address what it described as Gachagua’s ‘insensate calls to violence every time he senses defeat in a political contest.’
Third, UDA demanded that the Commission initiate a necessary inquiry to establish the circumstances under which someone legally impeached and barred from holding public office continues to operate with ‘such theatrical confidence.’
The party’s statement launched a comprehensive defense of the IEBC’s institutional integrity, stating that the selection of electoral officials in Magarini or anywhere else in the Republic is governed strictly by law, institutional procedure, and the Commission’s independent constitutional mandate.
“It is therefore the height of tomfoolery for any person to expect the process to be conducted at the whims of an emotionally chaotic individual or the eccentric wishes of a perennial grumbler,” the UDA letter signed by chairperson Omar Hassan states.
The response comes a day after Gachagua wrote a letter to Ethekon alleging that the commission’s vice chairperson is attempting to facilitate election malpractice in Magarini during the upcoming by-elections on November 27.
In his letter, Gachagua claimed that Abdalla had unlawfully handed over the names of her preferred presiding officers, whom she wants to oversee elections in the constituency, to senior county officials.
Furthermore, the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) leader claims that the Vice Chairperson also ‘bullied, intimidated and coerced’ other senior officials, including the returning officers, for them to compromise the elections.
The former DP urged the IEBC chair to kickstart an immediate probe into the conduct of the vice chair to prevent the commission’s reputation from suffering more damage.
Gachagua said that the vice chairperson should resign from her position to ensure integrity and transparency, especially in the upcoming 2027 General Elections.
“I am aware that your Vice Chairperson Fahima Araphat Abdallah has assumed the roles of managing the Magarini by-elections through corrupt, covert means; You are well aware that the commissioner assigned to the coast region is one Alutalala Mukhwana,” Gachagua said.
“Be informed, should it not be within your knowledge, that on Friday 21 November 2025, your Vice Chairperson Fahima Araphat Abdallah, was in Magarini, where she bullied, intimidated and coerced the electoral official manning the Magarini by-elections,” he added.
