Hassan Omar appears before IEBC committee, defends 'dead voters' remarks

Hassan Omar appears before IEBC committee, defends 'dead voters' remarks

Hassan Omar asked the Electoral Code of Conduct Committee to strike out the charges, arguing that there was no evidence of a breach. They said a formal warning would be sufficient if the committee decided to sanction him.

United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Secretary General Hassan Omar has asked the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to dismiss charges against him over his controversial "dead voters" remarks, saying they were intended to encourage Coast residents to register as voters and not to cause harm.

Appearing before the Commission on Wednesday, October 21, Hassan argued that if found liable, he should receive only a warning.

Hassan was defending his September 11, 2026, speech in Mombasa County, where he suggested that fingerprints of dead people could be used to cast votes for President William Ruto in the 2027 General Election to help him secure a second term.

“On election day, we have to fight for every vote. Even if someone died, we should take their fingerprint before they are buried, use it in the BVR system and cast a vote even for someone who died that very day,” Hassan said last month. “Even some of those we are burying today, that is our vote because that vote is our bullet, our shield. We cannot go back to where we were before.”

Through his lawyers, Emmanuel Kibet and Adrian Kamotho, Hassan asked the Electoral Code of Conduct Committee to strike out the charges, arguing that there was no evidence of a breach. They said a formal warning would be sufficient if the committee decided to sanction him.

Kibet told the Committee that the remarks were figurative and meant to stress the importance of voter registration and participation in elections, not encourage electoral fraud.

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“Figuratively, that meant not even death should keep you away from voting,” Kibet argued, adding that the message was directed at the living audience.

The lawyers said voter turnout in the Coast region had remained below 50 per cent in each of the past three general elections. They argued that registering dead people as voters and casting ballots in their names was impossible, noting that the IEBC is responsible for collecting biometric data, registering voters and overseeing elections.

They further said Hassan had no control over the IEBC and could not interfere with its work. According to the lawyers, the audience cheered, laughed and clapped during the speech, showing that they understood it as humour rather than a literal instruction.

“We urge this Commission to understand that it was simply figurative,” the lawyers said, describing the speech as a campaign address that used humour, imagery and exaggeration.

The lawyers also cited Matthew 5:29, which urges believers to remove an offending eye rather than allow the whole body to be cast into hell. They said the passage was an expression of the seriousness of avoiding sin, rather than a literal command, and argued that Hassan had similarly used imagery to make his point.

Hassan told the Committee that he did not intend to cause alarm and had used exaggeration to encourage Coast residents to register as voters. He maintained that his remarks contained no threat, targeted no individual and made no reference to ethnicity, religion or any other identity.

The UDA secretary-general also argued that his words did not suggest that the ballot could be manipulated and said other leaders had made similar statements.

“It is an address devoted to persuading citizens that their vote matters and they should turn out and vote in large numbers,” Kibet said, describing the speech as an expression of confidence in the IEBC rather than an attack on the Commission.

Addressing the Committee, Hassan said his words had to be understood in the context of his audience and the Coast region's history. He described the remarks as a rallying call for residents to register as voters and seek redress for historical injustices.

“We are on the verge of victory as a party and coalition, and we will not in any way erode any institutional authority or engage in any illegality to give any basis to anybody to erode the credibility and legality of our victory," he said.

Hassan said he issued a clarification the day after the remarks went viral to explain their intended meaning. He also dismissed opposition allegations that UDA was planning to rig the 2027 General Election.

He reaffirmed the party's respect for constitutional bodies and the rule of law, saying he had appeared before the Committee because he recognised its authority. Drawing from his experience as a former commissioner of a constitutional body, he said he understood the importance of allowing independent institutions to carry out their duties.

Hassan added that his position as UDA secretary-general meant some of his remarks were interpreted differently from those of other politicians. He said his comments on historical injustices and voter registration should be understood against the Coast region's experience of marginalisation.

He recalled that his involvement in human rights advocacy began after a friend's sister was denied an identity card while others in her class received theirs. He said the experience raised concerns about the treatment of people from northern and border communities and those with Muslim names.

Hassan urged the Committee to dismiss the case, maintaining that his remarks were made in good faith and were not intended to harm anyone.

“I think I hold the fact that there was nothing wrong that was said. I hold to the prayers that were submitted by the council that this matter is fluid. It should be found out and dismissed with the contempt it deserves," he said.

He pledged that UDA would continue supporting the IEBC in carrying out its mandate and comply with its requirements.