Mathira Member of Parliament Eric Wamumbi has criticized recent calls encouraging young people to mobilise and protect votes during elections, describing such rhetoric as dangerous and likely to provoke unnecessary conflict.
In a televised interview on K24TV on Thursday, August 2026, Wamumbi emphasized that elections should be conducted strictly within polling stations under the supervision of accredited agents and electoral officials. He urged voters to cast their ballots and then leave the polling centers to await official results rather than engaging in confrontational activities.
"We have held numerous elections in this country with results announced and swearing-in ceremonies conducted without any need for young men to 'protect votes'," Wamumbi stated.
His remarks came in response to statements from former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and some opposition leaders who have advocated for youth mobilisation to safeguard votes in the upcoming 2027 general election. Wamumbi warned that such moves risk escalating political tensions and potentially inciting violence.
"If each group forms its own militia, we are heading towards chaos," he said, stressing that election integrity should be maintained within the established legal framework involving polling officials and party agents.
Addressing concerns that some political parties may struggle to field agents in certain areas, Wamumbi insisted that all parties have the right to deploy agents in every polling station where they are contesting. "We will ensure our presence in all polling stations," he affirmed.
Wamumbi also accused Gachagua of benefiting from disorder, noting his experience working with the former Deputy President in Mathira shaped his view of Gachagua's political approach. "Rigathi Gachagua thrives in chaos," he remarked.
As political parties ramp up preparations for the 2027 elections, debates around electoral security and youth mobilisation continue to intensify. Wamumbi’s call is for political leaders to avoid inflammatory language that could undermine Kenya’s democratic process.
