People’s Party of Kenya leader Ndindi Nyoro and Jubilee Deputy Party Leader Fred Matiang’i have called on the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to act over controversial remarks by UDA Secretary General Hassan Omar suggesting that fingerprints of dead Kenyans could be used to cast votes in the August 2027 General Election.

Speaking at a rally in Kenol, Murang’a County, the opposition leaders said Omar’s remarks risk undermining public confidence in the electoral body and raised questions over the credibility of next year’s elections.

“IEBC should know. When the UDA Secretary General says they will steal votes should know that they will get into trouble first. The people of Kenya cannot accept. We are past those things,” said Matiang’i.

Omar sparked controversy after suggesting during a political event in Mombasa that fingerprints of people who had recently died could be used before burial to cast ballots in support of President William Ruto.

“Even if someone has died, we should take their finger before we bury them, put it into the BVR and cast a vote,” Omar said, while pushing for Ruto to secure a second term.

The remarks do not establish that such an electoral scheme exists, and Omar did not provide evidence that one was underway. They have, however, triggered demands from opposition politicians for IEBC to address concerns about the integrity of the voter register and safeguards against electoral fraud.

Nyoro and Matiang’i challenged IEBC to take firm action, saying Kenyans must be assured that the August 2027 elections will be free, fair and credible.

They warned that the opposition would resist any attempt to interfere with the electoral process and accused the government of failing to sufficiently reassure Kenyans about the integrity of the polls.

Beyond the election controversy, Nyoro and Matiang’i used the Murang’a visit to reinforce their push for a united opposition ahead of 2027.

Nyoro said opposition parties must put aside individual political ambitions and focus on presenting a common alternative to President Ruto.

“All of us in the opposition have the intention of working together. The work ahead is not something to fight over or divide ourselves over,” Nyoro said during the visit.

The Kiharu MP maintained that the opposition intends to defeat Ruto in the first round of the presidential election, arguing that public dissatisfaction with the Kenya Kwanza administration has grown.

Matiang’i echoed the unity call, saying opposition leaders must avoid internal fights that could weaken their chances in 2027.

“When I am here with my brother Ndindi Nyoro, I am happy because we are of one accord,” Matiang’i said. “We want to work together with those brothers and sisters in the United Opposition.”

He accused the government of weakening the economy and failing to protect Kenyans from politically linked violence and attacks by criminal gangs.

Nyoro also turned his attention to the health sector, criticizing the continued strikes by nurses and other health workers.

He proposed the creation of a Kenya Doctors and Healthcare Professionals Commission to oversee staffing and management of health workers, arguing that recurrent labour disputes were hurting patients and disrupting services.

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