Kipchumba Murkomen Orders Probe Into Ol Kalou By-Election Violence

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen ordered a thorough investigation into violence and alleged police interference during the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election on July 16, 2026. The unrest occurred primarily outside the Ol Kalou Comprehensive School polling station, where masked, armed men in unmarked vehicles reportedly stormed the area, dispersed residents with teargas, and assaulted members of the press.

Reporters from Nation Media Group and The Star were targeted during the chaos. Star photojournalist Enos Teche was injured and robbed of his camera, while Nation Media Group journalist Brygettes Ngana and her cameraperson were assaulted and had their equipment seized. The Media Council of Kenya, the Kenya Editors Guild, and the Kenya Union of Journalists condemned the attacks as direct assaults on democracy and the public's constitutional right to information.

Central Regional Commissioner Joshua Nkanatha denied that security agencies used unmarked vehicles, though he acknowledged that Directorate of Criminal Investigations officers were deployed in civilian attire. Murkomen warned that anyone culpable—including security officers or those who deployed them—will face legal action. Despite the disruptions, voting continued until 5 p.m., after which the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission began tallying votes for the seat vacated by the late MP David Njuguna.