The sanctity of Kenya’s ballot box is facing a brazen new threat: the rise of the “super agent,” a term coined by Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairperson Edung Ethekon to describe senior politicians who physically overrun polling stations.

In a blistering critique following the November 27 by-elections, Ethekon warned that these high-profile figures are no longer content with campaigning but are actively hijacking the tallying process, posing an existential risk to the country’s democratic stability.

The Anatomy of Intimidation

Speaking at a high-level stakeholder engagement in Nairobi, Ethekon painted a grim picture of the recent polls. He detailed how the commission’s staff—often young Kenyans performing their civic duty—were subjected to harassment that went far beyond standard observation.

According to the Chairperson, the “super agent” phenomenon involves specific, coordinated disruptions:

• Forced Entry: Senior political figures storming tallying centers with entourages, bypassing security protocols.
• Physical Threats: Presiding officers facing direct physical confrontation and intimidation.
• Usurping Authority: Politicians attempting to direct the workflow of IEBC officials, effectively trying to manage the election themselves.

“We are seeing a new and very dangerous phenomenon,” Ethekon asserted. “These so-called super agents are not ordinary agents; they are senior politicians who think they can simply walk into a polling station and take over the process.”

Criminality Masquerading as Politics

The implications of these actions extend beyond a single by-election. For the average Kenyan voter, the presence of menacing crowds led by powerful leaders erodes trust in the neutrality of the vote. Ethekon emphasized that this behavior crosses the line from political strategy into lawlessness.

“Some of these individuals arrived with crowds of supporters, overran polling stations and sought to direct the work of our officials,” he noted, adding that such actions cannot be categorized as observation. “That is intimidation.”

The Commission has since forwarded several cases to security agencies. Ethekon was categorical that the IEBC expects the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) to act swiftly against those who assaulted officers or tampered with election materials.

“Let me be extremely clear: assaulting IEBC officers is not politics, it is a criminal offence,” Ethekon concluded. “Those responsible must be held personally accountable.”