This archive report was first published on 23 October 2019.
Kibra By-Election: ODM and Jubilee Supporters Clash Over Rigging Claims ¶
With just 14 days left to the Kibra by-election, the campaign has intensified, with supporters of the leading candidates, Jubilee's McDonald Mariga and ODM's Bernard Imran Okoth, engaging in a heated exchange on social media.
Netizens aligned to ODM accused Jubilee of electoral malpractice by buying Identification Cards (IDs) from Kibra electorates in a bid to unfairly deny Imran victory.
Using the hashtag #StopBuyingIDs, they claimed that the alleged fraud had been schemed by Deputy President William Ruto, who they said is bankrolling Mariga's campaigns to shame ODM leader Raila Odinga in the race to succeed late MP Ken Okoth.
However, Jubilee supporters responded with a parallel hashtag #ODMPanicsinKibera, saying the claims were a sign of defeat.
Over 100,000 registered voters are expected to vote on November 7, with 24 candidates vying for the seat of Kibra MP.
The by-election was occasioned by the death of Ken Okoth, who succumbed to cancer.
DP Ruto knows that in a perfect contest, Mariga stands no chance to win, at all. That’s why he dishes handouts to Kibra voters at his Karen home. — Lisomo (@Lisomo2) October 23, 2019
