Reminder: Don't photograph your ballot, IEBC tells Ol Kalou voters

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has reiterated that the secrecy of the ballot is a constitutional right and warned Ol Kalou Constituency by-election voters against photographing or recording marked ballot papers.

The commission issued the reminder on Thursday, July 16, 2026, as polling got underway to elect a new Member of the National Assembly for Ol Kalou Constituency in Nyandarua County.

Polling stations opened at 6.00 am and are scheduled to close at 5.00 pm. However, the IEBC said any time lost during polling will be recovered at closing, while voters who are in the queue by 5.00 pm will still be allowed to vote.

"The Commission reiterates that the secrecy of the ballot is a constitutional right guaranteed under Article 38(3)(b) and 81 (e) (i) of the Constitution and is a fundamental principle of democratic elections," the commission said.

The electoral agency cautioned that any action that compromises the secrecy of the vote amounts to an electoral offence.

"Any act that compromises this secrecy, including photographing or recording a marked ballot paper, undermines the integrity of the electoral process, exposes voters to undue influence, coercion, and vote-buying, and constitutes an electoral offence," IEBC said.

The Ol Kalou parliamentary seat fell vacant following the death of the constituency's Member of National Assembly, David Njuguna Kiaraho of the Jubilee Party, on March 29, 2026.

Thursday's by-election has attracted national attention and is widely viewed as a litmus test of political influence in the Mt. Kenya region ahead of the 2027 General Election.

The IEBC urged voters to uphold the integrity of the electoral process by observing the law and protecting the secrecy of their ballots throughout the voting exercise. Vote counting is expected to begin after polling closes, once all voters who are in the queue by the official closing time have cast their ballots.