IEBC Orders Boyd, Aroko to Pay Sh1 Million Each Within 48 Hours Over Kasipul Chaos

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission has imposed Sh1 million fines on Kasipul by-election contenders Boyd Were of ODM and Philip Aroko, an Independent candidate, after a violent confrontation between their supporters left two young men dead and dozens injured.

The commission said the penalties, to be settled within 48 hours, are meant to restore order in a constituency now described as “bleeding from senseless political aggression.”

The sanctions followed a tense disciplinary hearing by the Electoral Code of Conduct Enforcement Committee, which found both candidates guilty of violating the harmonised campaign schedule they had earlier agreed to.

IEBC ruled that the candidates ignored the timetable, creating overlapping rallies that escalated into chaos and eventually erupted into lethal violence during the November 6 incident in the Opondo area of Central Kasipul Ward.

The clashes turned bloody as rival groups hurled stones at each other.

Gunshots were reported as panic spread, and a licensed firearm is said to have been discharged during the confrontation.

Two 26-year-olds, Ben Ondiege and Bruno Onyango, died from severe head injuries. Several others were treated for wounds sustained in the melee.

IEBC condemned the violence as the result of indiscipline and reckless campaigning.

The commission placed responsibility on both Were and Aroko, accusing them of allowing their supporters to flout the agreed rules and inflame tensions.

Each candidate received a formal warning and was reminded that any further breach of the electoral code could lead to disqualification from the November 27 by-election.

Kasipul by-election aspirant Boyd Were

The two candidates have also been ordered to sign a peace charter that binds them to non-violent campaigns and strict compliance with the harmonised schedule.

IEBC officials insisted that the by-election must take place in a peaceful environment free from intimidation, chaos, or disruption.

Last week’s violence has heightened concerns in a constituency already grappling with grief following the April 2025 shooting of Kasipul MP Charles Ong’ondo Were, whose death created the vacancy.

The bloody clashes have left residents fearful that the by-election could spiral further out of control unless authorities act decisively.

Security has since been tightened across Kasipul. Police commanders have warned all candidates against mobilising rowdy convoys or convening unsanctioned rallies.

Civil society groups and local leaders have urged the IEBC to enforce the code firmly and hold candidates accountable for their supporters’ actions, arguing that the deaths of the two young men should mark a turning point in the conduct of campaigns.

Political analysts say the heavy fines could force both camps to scale down their aggressive mobilisation strategies in the final days of the race. The threat of disqualification now hangs over the contenders and could alter the momentum of the campaign as polling day approaches.

For residents of Kasipul, however, the damage from last week’s chaos remains fresh.

Many believe the two families who lost sons will carry the pain long after the by-election ends.

As one elder put it, “The politicians will continue with their ambitions, but the people who bury their children are the ones who suffer forever.”

With barely a week to go, IEBC has reiterated that no candidate will be spared if they breach the rules again. Whether this warning will be enough to prevent further violence in a fiercely contested race remains uncertain.

Kasipul by-election aspirant Philip Aroko