Wajir Woman Rep’s reckless boast is a national scandal

In a country where elections are often marred by suspicion, violence, and irregularities, it is chilling, though not surprising, to hear a sitting legislator boast openly about plans to commit electoral fraud. Wajir Woman Representative Fatuma Jehow’s declaration that “we’ll steal votes for Ruto, that’s no secret,” is not merely an offhand joke or a moment of reckless bravado. It is a confession. A confession to a crime. A confession to the betrayal of the people’s will. And more damningly, a symptom of the deep moral rot in our political system.

Let us be straight with each other: Electoral fraud is not a political tactic. It is a criminal act. It is a direct assault on the Constitution, on democracy, and on the Kenyan people. That such a statement can be uttered publicly, brazenly, and without immediate consequence is evidence of how far Kenya has descended into the normalisation of impunity.

Ms Jehow is not an anonymous online heckler. She is an elected representative, constitutionally mandated to defend and articulate the interests of Wajir’s women, youth, and marginalised communities. That she would casually throw her weight behind electoral theft is a grotesque violation of that mandate. It reveals a complete abandonment of duty, and a dangerous allegiance, not to the people, but to power.

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And this is not just about her. It is about a political culture that rewards sycophancy, that worships power for its own sake, and that ridicules accountability as weakness. What we witnessed in Jehow’s words is not just personal misconduct; it is institutional decay. It is the arrogance of a system that knows it will not be held accountable. It is the impunity of a class of politicians who believe, not without reason, that they are above the law.

Where are the institutions mandated to uphold the law and protect the sanctity of the vote? The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) must immediately investigate this statement. Silence from the IEBC at this point would amount to complicity.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations must treat this not as a political soundbite, but as a lead in a criminal investigation. The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission must determine whether such open advocacy for electoral theft breaches the integrity standards set for public officials. And the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions must demonstrate that the law is not selective. That no one, regardless of rank or political allegiance, is too powerful to be prosecuted.

When a woman representative says she will steal votes, she is not just joking. She is projecting confidence in a rigged system. She is giving voice to a machinery that has normalised electoral theft as a strategy for survival. And that voice must not be met with laughter or apathy. It must be met with accountability.

For years, Kenyans have fought, protested, and even died in the pursuit of free and fair elections. Every vote represents a citizen’s dream, a family’s future, and a people’s trust in the promise of democracy. To steal that vote is to steal hope itself. And to brag about it is to spit in the face of every struggling Kenyan who still believes that their voice matters.

Jehow’s words also betray a terrifying disregard for the women and the young people she represents. She is not paid to shout herself hoarse defending State House. She is not elected to become a loudmouth errand girl for stolen power. Her mandate is to stand up for Wajir’s mothers, for girls out of school, for jobless youth, for the voiceless. Her job is to legislate, to advocate, and to protect. Instead, she chooses to gloat about rigging proudly. Publicly. Shamelessly.

This must not pass as yet another political circus. It must not be buried under the noise of daily headlines. Kenyans must demand consequences. Civil society must rise. Opposition leaders must speak with one voice. Media must follow this story with the urgency it deserves. And the people of Wajir must ask themselves: Is this the leader we chose? Is this the person who best represents our voice, our dignity, and our hopes for a better future?

The stakes are high. If leaders can admit to electoral fraud with a smile and still keep their jobs, what does that say about the rule of law? If a woman representative can joke about rigging and face no investigation, what message does that send to young voters looking to participate in elections with faith in the system?

I have said it before. Kenya is at a crossroads. The youth are rising. The people are awakening. Gen Z protests, civic organising, and demands for accountability are shaking the foundations of a political elite that has grown fat on impunity. This is the moment to say: No more. No more theft, of elections, of resources, of truth, and of trust.

Jehow may believe that electoral theft is “no secret.” But here is our response: Neither is justice. Neither is resistance. Neither is the power of the people, once awakened. We will not be silent. We will not forget. And we will not forgive the betrayal of our democracy. 

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