DCP candidate Stanley Kenga has raised fresh concerns over the conduct of the Magarini by-election, accusing government officials of disrupting the voting process and causing fear among residents.
He said the presence of senior officers who do not belong to the constituency was creating an environment that could affect how voters make their choices.
Speaking at Kanagoni Primary School shortly after casting his ballot on Thursday, Kenga claimed that outsiders had been sent into Magarini and were moving around polling centres in a way he said was aimed at influencing the outcome.
"There are government officials who are not from Magarini constituency who are entering polling stations and intimidating voters," he said, calling on those he described as non-resident officials to allow the community to vote freely.
He further said that some DCP agents had been denied access to certain polling centres, including Marekebuni Primary School and Midodoni. According to him, the restrictions created questions about how the election was being managed and whether all sides were being given equal space to observe the process.
Kenga urged the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) and the security team overseeing the poll to intervene and ensure that every accredited agent is allowed to work without interruption. He said this would help protect the integrity of a by-election that has drawn wide attention across the country.
The Magarini contest is among the repeat polls ordered after courts nullified earlier results, placing fresh pressure on parties that want to strengthen their hold in Kilifi County. The seat was declared vacant when the High Court cancelled the 2022 results over irregularities, sending the constituency back to the ballot.
The race has attracted several strong contenders, including ODM’s Harrison Kombe, who is seeking to reclaim the position he lost through the nullification of the 2022 outcome. Kenga said the community must remain alert throughout the process to safeguard what he described as their right to choose leaders without interference.
As voting went on, he insisted that the people of Magarini deserved a process that reflects their will once counting is completed.
Magarini Constituency has six wards — Gongoni, Magarini, Adu, Garashi, Sabaki and Marafa — and a total of 80,128 registered voters, based on IEBC data used for the November 2025 by-elections. The numbers were drawn from the 2022 general election register, which forms the basis for the current poll.
