IEBC chairperson Erastus EthekonThe Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission has told Kenyans to judge the reconstituted electoral agency by its performance and not past electoral experiences.
IEBC commissioner Alutalala Mukhwana also assured voters that all preparations for the Ol-Kalou parliamentary by-election have been completed.
Speaking ahead of the Thursday vote, Mukhwana defended the electoral commission, saying the new team should not be condemned for the failures of previous commissions.
He dismissed claims that IEBC lacks credibility, saying the commissioners who took office barely a year ago deserve to be judged by their own performance.
"I'm only one year here. Whose vote have I stolen?" he posed during a morning interview with NTV.
"We should be judged on what we do, not on our history."
Mukwhana, however, maintained that the commission cannot be blamed for violence during campaigns or elections.
"People say IEBC should stop violence. That is not our mandate. Our responsibility is to conduct and supervise elections. Security is the responsibility of the police and other agencies," he said.
He noted that since the new commissioners assumed office, the IEBC has successfully conducted 32 by-elections, with only two ending up in court.
He said none of the petitions found the commission guilty of electoral malpractice, with the main issues raised relating to election violence rather than the conduct of the polls.
The commission at the same time announced that necessary logistical and administrative arrangements for the Ol Kalou by-election was complete
The commissioner said all measures have been put in place to ensure a free, fair and credible election.
Election materials, he said, had been dispatched while polling officials and security agencies were fully prepared.
The ballot papers were received on Wednesday and inspected in the presence of IEBC officials, political party agents, candidates and security personnel ahead of the vote.
Commissioner Hassan Noor, who is overseeing the exercise, said the IEBC was committed to delivering a transparent and credible election that reflects the will of the people of Ol Kalou.
"We are here to supervise this electoral process and make sure that it is free and fair and peaceful," Noor said.
"We want the people of Ol Kalou to determine who their leader will be and we expect it to be a fairly easy process for everybody."
He said the commission had held extensive consultations with security agencies to guarantee the safety of voters, election officials and polling materials.
"We have had a very robust engagement with the security team in Nyandarua and beyond," he said.
"We are here to witness the opening of the pallets. The ballot papers have just arrived and we have opened them. Everybody here is satisfied – IEBC staff and party agents – that all has gone well."
All candidates and their agents inspected the ballot papers and election materials before signing documents confirming that everything was in order.
"Agents and candidates have signed to show they have inspected the boxes and everything is in order," Noor said.
The commissioner also warned against attempts to disrupt the electoral process, saying security agencies were fully prepared to deal with anyone intent on causing chaos.
