MAGARINI, KILIFI COUNTY – The Magarini constituency by-election on Thursday, November 27, 2025, was marked by early morning allegations of electoral malpractice, as two main candidates claimed their accredited agents were blocked from accessing polling stations. The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) candidate, Harrison Kombe, and the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) flagbearer, Stanley Kenga, raised separate alarms, casting a shadow over the transparency of a poll held to remedy a previous election nullified for similar irregularities.

Mr. Kombe, speaking to the media shortly after casting his vote at approximately 8:55 AM EAT at Mapimo Central Primary School, stated that some of his agents had been prevented from entering polling stations. "Some of my agents have been blocked from entering, and I am rushing there to resolve the matter because I am the candidate, and my agents must be inside the polling stations," Kombe said, expressing concern that the situation could disrupt the fairness of the process. One of the stations mentioned in reports was Mjanaheri Primary School.

Similarly, DCP candidate Stanley Kenga alleged that some of his agents were denied access to polling stations after he cast his ballot at Kanagoni polling station in Adu Ward. Kenga further claimed that government officials were attempting to influence the election's outcome in favor of his opponent.

IEBC Responds to Early Irregularities

In response to the developing situation, Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Commissioner Alutalala Mukwana, who was on the ground, acknowledged that there had been "issues" in the morning regarding agent access. He attributed the problem to some agents lacking proper official identification documents but asserted that the matter had since been resolved. As of late afternoon, Thursday, the IEBC headquarters in Nairobi had not issued a comprehensive official statement addressing the specific allegations from both campaign teams.

The claims of agent obstruction are particularly significant for Magarini, a constituency with 80,128 registered voters. The by-election was necessitated by a May 31, 2024, Supreme Court ruling that nullified Mr. Kombe's victory in the August 9, 2022, General Election. The court upheld findings of significant irregularities, including ballot stuffing and the denial of agents' access to polling stations, following a petition by Mr. Kenga, who lost by a mere 21 votes.

A High-Stakes Contest with National Implications

This by-election is one of 24 mini-polls held across Kenya on the same day and is viewed as a critical test for the newly constituted IEBC under Chairperson Erastus Ethekon. The contest has attracted national attention, framed as a political showdown between President William Ruto's broad-based government and a newly formed "United Opposition" coalition that includes former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and Wiper Party Leader Kalonzo Musyoka.

The political climate was tense even before polling day. On November 24, 2025, Mr. Gachagua accused IEBC Vice Chairperson Fahima Araphat of interfering with poll preparations, a claim the IEBC firmly denied, assuring all stakeholders of a free, fair, and credible election. The opposition had also raised concerns about alleged plots to use state machinery and pre-marked ballots to manipulate the vote in Magarini and other contested areas, accusations that the ruling UDA party dismissed as tactics born from an anticipation of defeat.

The Magarini race features ten cleared candidates, though it is primarily seen as a two-horse race between Kombe and Kenga. In a notable political alignment, President Ruto's UDA party did not field a candidate, opting to support ODM's Kombe as part of a broader political cooperation agreement. This has left Mr. Kenga, who ran on a UDA ticket in 2022, to contest under the DCP banner with the backing of the opposition coalition. The campaign also saw Kenya Social Congress candidate John Masha step down to endorse Kombe just days before the poll.

As polls closed at 5:00 PM EAT, election officials began the counting process. The final outcome and the conduct of the election will be closely scrutinized by political parties and election observer groups, with the day's early allegations likely to feature in post-election assessments. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REQUIRED.