Ahead of the by-election on November 27, campaigns for the Mbeere North parliamentary contest are beginning to take shape.

Newton Karish of the Democratic Party of Kenya (DP) and Leonard Muthende of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party are the front-runners.

Rigathi Gachagua, a former deputy president, is actively supporting Karish, the joint United Opposition candidate in the Mbeere North by-election.

Gachagua has been doing door-to-door efforts to encourage locals to support the opposition candidate since Sunday, November 16.

But Governor Cecil Mbarire now wants the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to bar Gachagua from campaigning for the DP candidate.

Mbarire lodged a formal complaint at Ishiara Police Station, accusing Gachagua of plotting to disrupt the UDA rallies. She also claimed that the mobilised group was given UDA-branded T-shirts in an attempt to frame the UDA and its candidate, Leonard Muthende, if violence were to erupt.

“Those being mobilised are being mobilised by DCP party leader Rigathi Gachagua. For the last one month, Mbeere North has enjoyed peaceful campaigns. It is unfortunate that Gachagua and his allies are plotting to disturb that peace. We do not support any form of violence. Violence begets violence, and you can never win through it,” Mbarire said.

UDA’s legal counsel, Adrian Kamotho, backed Mbarire’s concerns, questioning the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) presence in the Mbeere North by-election.

According to Kamotho, DCP have no candidate in the Mbeere North by-election; hence, they can easily cause chaos, as they have not signed the election code of conduct with IEBC. UDA asked the electoral commission to block Gachagua and his DCP party from campaigning for the DP candidate.

“The DCP party has no mandate in Mbeere North politics. They have not signed the election code of conduct since they have no candidate. They should stop orchestrating plans to cause chaos,” Kamotho said.