IEBC summons SG Hassan Omar over ‘using dead voters' fingerprints’ remarks

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has summoned United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Secretary-General Hassan Omar to appear before its Electoral Code of Conduct Enforcement Committee over remarks suggesting that fingerprints of deceased people could be used to vote for President William Ruto in the 2027 General Election.

In a statement on Wednesday, October 14, the commission said Omar had been directed to appear before the committee on October 21 at Anniversary Towers in Nairobi to respond to the allegations.

“The summons arises from statements allegedly made by the former Senator at a public rally in Mombasa County on 11th September 2026 on voting by deceased voters,” IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon stated.

IEBC said the matter was being considered under the Electoral Code of Conduct contained in the Second Schedule of the Elections Act, 2011.

The commission noted that the summons was intended to give Omar an opportunity to respond to the allegations before a determination is made.

“The Committee will make its determination only after considering the material and representations before it,” Ethekon added.

The former senator has been urged to honour the summons and cooperate with the proceedings, with IEBC adding that all parties appearing before the committee would be given a fair opportunity to present their cases.

The summons follows remarks Omar allegedly made at a public rally in Mombasa County on September 11, where he suggested that fingerprints of recently deceased people could be taken before burial and used to cast ballots in their names.

“Even if someone has died, we should take their finger before we bury them, put it into the BVR and cast a vote. Even someone who has died today,” Omar said during the rally.

The former Senator spoke shortly after he declared his bid for the Mombasa gubernatorial seat, triggering public criticism and renewed debate over the integrity of the voter register ahead of the next election.

Omar’s remarks came amid existing concerns over the accuracy of Kenya’s voter register and the inclusion of deceased persons.

On August 10, Transparency International Kenya Executive Director Sheila Masinde called on IEBC to conduct a comprehensive audit of the register and remove the names of deceased voters ahead of the 2027 polls.

Ahead of the 2022 General Election, an independent audit by KPMG identified 246,465 deceased voters among the 22.5 million records in the voter database.

The controversy has also unfolded against a backdrop of wider political disputes over preparations for the 2027 election, including opposition concerns about election technology and the integrity of the voter register.

IEBC has since urged political leaders, candidates and their supporters to exercise restraint in their public statements and conduct as the country approaches the election.

The commission said it would provide further information on Omar’s case after the committee concludes its proceedings.