KILIFI, KENYA – Political tensions have escalated in the Coast region after Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leaders, including Kilifi Governor Gideon Mung’aro, forcefully refuted allegations by Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua of a plot to rig the upcoming Magarini Constituency by-election. The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has also weighed in, dismissing the claims while assuring the public of a credible poll scheduled for Thursday, 27th November 2025, East Africa Time.

The controversy ignited on Monday, 24th November 2025, when Mr. Gachagua, a former Deputy President, submitted a formal letter to the IEBC. In the letter addressed to IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon, Gachagua alleged that the commission's Vice Chairperson, Fahima Araphat Abdalla, was actively interfering with the by-election preparations. He claimed Ms. Abdalla held a meeting with Governor Mung'aro in Malindi, where a list of presiding officers and money allegedly exchanged hands to influence the election in favour of the ODM candidate, Harrison Kombe.

“Be informed, might it not be within your knowledge, that on Friday, 21st November 2025, Abdallah was in Magarini, where she bullied, intimidated and coerced the electoral officials manning the Magarini by-elections,” Mr. Gachagua’s letter stated, as reported by The Standard. He demanded the immediate replacement of all presiding officers in the constituency and the suspension of the Vice Chairperson pending an investigation.

ODM Mounts Fierce Defence

In a swift rebuttal, Governor Mung’aro and other ODM leaders convened a press conference in Malindi to dismiss the accusations as propaganda born of desperation. Governor Mung'aro asserted that the claims were a tactic by the opposition, which he believes senses an impending defeat for its candidate, Stanley Kenga of the DCP.

“I am very confident that Kombe will go back to parliament. It is because of this that the leader of DCP has panicked and started spreading propaganda,” Governor Mung’aro stated on Monday. “I want to tell Kenyans and the people of Magarini to ignore this guy (Gachagua).”

Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Sheriff Nassir echoed these sentiments, questioning the logic behind the allegations. “Why would we campaign if we have already compromised officials, including judges?” he posed, emphasizing that ODM's campaign was policy-driven.

IEBC Assures of Fair Poll

Responding to the weighty allegations, the IEBC issued a statement on Monday, 24th November, acknowledging receipt of Mr. Gachagua's letter but reaffirming the integrity of its processes. IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon assured all political parties and the public that the by-election would be “free, fair, transparent, and credible.”

The commission clarified that its officials are appointed through legally defined, transparent, and merit-based processes. It noted that Returning Officers were appointed via gazette notices on 8th August 2025, and operate independently without undue influence. Furthermore, the IEBC stated that the list of selected poll officials was shared with political parties on 14th November 2025, for review, and that all officials are bound to act impartially.

High-Stakes Coastal Contest

The Magarini by-election is a high-stakes contest, triggered after the Supreme Court nullified the August 2022 victory of ODM's Harrison Kombe. The race is primarily between Mr. Kombe, seeking to reclaim his seat, and the DCP's Stanley Kenga, who was the petitioner in the court case that led to the nullification. The heated rhetoric surrounding the poll underscores the intense political rivalry between the established ODM, a dominant force in the Coast region, and emerging parties like the DCP seeking to make inroads ahead of the 2027 General Election. The outcome of the Thursday vote is seen as a critical barometer of the political landscape in Kilifi County and the wider coastal belt.