The Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election was disrupted by violent incidents on Thursday after clashes broke out near polling stations, prompting police intervention and investigations by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) and the Ministry of Interior.

Although voting proceeded smoothly in most parts of the Nyandarua constituency, the unrest temporarily disrupted polling in sections of Ol Kalou town and raised fresh concerns over election security and the safety of journalists covering political events.

The disturbances were reported near Ol Kalou Comprehensive School and A.C. Primary School, where witnesses and media reports said groups of hooded men confronted youths gathered outside polling centres. The confrontations escalated into running battles, forcing police to intervene to prevent further violence.

Security officers fired tear gas to disperse the crowds and restore order before voting resumed under heightened security. Election officials continued polling after calm was restored, and the exercise proceeded to conclusion across the constituency.

The violence came despite earlier appeals by the IEBC and security agencies for political actors and their supporters to maintain peace throughout the electoral process.

The unrest also affected journalists covering the by-election.

Several media practitioners reported being assaulted while documenting the clashes. Among them was The Star photojournalist Enos Teche, who was reportedly attacked by a group of masked men and robbed of his camera while covering the disturbances. Other journalists also reported intimidation and interference while carrying out their work.

The Kenya Union of Journalists (KUJ) condemned the attacks, describing them as a direct assault on press freedom and calling for those responsible to be identified and prosecuted.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen ordered immediate investigations into the incidents, including allegations involving hooded individuals and claims of misconduct by security officers deployed during the by-election.

Speaking after the violence, Murkomen said the government would not shield anyone found to have participated in the attacks.

“Anyone found culpable, including rogue police officers if investigations establish wrongdoing, will face the full force of the law,” Murkomen said while directing security agencies to investigate the incidents.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission also condemned the violence and said the incidents would be investigated in collaboration with relevant security agencies. The commission reiterated that elections should be conducted in an environment free from intimidation, violence and interference, allowing voters, candidates, election officials, observers and journalists to perform their respective roles safely.

The election-day unrest followed weeks of heightened political tension in the constituency.

In the days leading up to the poll, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) raised concerns over reports of political violence, voter intimidation and other alleged electoral malpractices during campaigns. The commission urged political leaders, supporters and security agencies to uphold the rule of law and protect the rights of all participants throughout the electoral process.

Despite the isolated incidents, voting and vote counting continued as scheduled, enabling the IEBC to complete the by-election and later declare Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) candidate Sammy Kamau Ngotho the winner.

The violence has nevertheless renewed concerns about election-related insecurity in Kenya, particularly the protection of journalists and the conduct of political actors during competitive elections. Investigations by security agencies are expected to establish who organized the attacks, whether any electoral offences were committed and whether criminal charges will follow.

Authorities have yet to release the findings of the investigations, while calls continue from human rights groups, media organizations and election observers for accountability and measures to prevent similar incidents in future elections.