United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Secretary-General, Hassan Omar, has defended his controversial remarks about deceased voters, telling an Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Committee that he was using figurative language to urge Coastal residents to register and vote in the 2027 General Election.

Omar, who appeared before the IEBC Electoral Code of Conduct Enforcement Committee in Nairobi, Wednesday, maintained that his remarks at a political rally in Mombasa County on September 11, were intended to mobilise eligible voters and not to encourage electoral malpractice.

“Unless death should keep you away from vote,” his lawyer explained, was the figurative message behind the remarks, arguing that the statement had been taken out of context and should be assessed alongside the entire speech.

The defense maintained that the disputed words were a rhetorical device, intended to emphasise the importance of voter participation in a region whose turnout had historically remained below 50 per cent.

“The lawful message in this case was register as a voter, check out your IDs, and when the day comes, come out and vote,” the lawyer submitted.

The Committee was considering a complaint arising from remarks that allegedly suggested deceased people’s fingerprints could be used in biometric voter registration to facilitate voting in their names.

Omar’s legal team argued that the allegation was unsupported by sufficient evidence, noting that the disputed statement did not demonstrate an attempt to register deceased persons or interfere with the electoral process.

The lawyers further submitted that the remarks did not promote violence or intimidation, undermine the Commission’s Authority, or compromise the secrecy and integrity of the ballot, as contemplated under the Electoral Code of Conduct.

They specifically challenged the alleged breach of paragraphs 6(a), 6(k)(i) and 6(l) of the code, arguing that the complaint did not establish the elements required to find a violation.

“The respondent tells the voters to participate. It is an address devoted to persuading citizens that their vote matters,” the lawyer told the Committee.

The defense also invoked freedom of expression, arguing that political speech often employs exaggeration, humour and metaphor and should be interpreted in its full context rather than through an isolated sentence.

In his personal submissions, Omar reaffirmed his respect for the electoral commission and other constitutional institutions, expressing confidence in IEBC’s mandate, to oversee free and fair elections.

“I came here because we know that you are the custodian of our free and fair elections, and we will submit to your authority,” he stated.

The UDA Secretary-General linked his remarks to the historical marginalisation of Coast communities, arguing that voter mobilisation was necessary to strengthen their political participation and consolidate constitutional gains.

He maintained that his appeal was directed at eligible residents who had not registered to vote, rather than an attempt to interfere with biometric registration or the voting process.

“The context has been totally blown out of proportion,” Omar submitted, maintaining that his words had been interpreted literally instead of being understood in the context of his address to the Coast electorate.

His lawyers urged the Committee to dismiss the complaint for lack of sufficient evidence. Alternatively, they asked it to exercise restraint and issue no more than a warning should it find a breach.

The Committee’s Chairperson, Dr Alutalala Mukhwana, thanked the defense for its submissions and directed that the supporting documents and video clips be provided for consideration.

By Wasidia Freshwin and Sharon Njeru