The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has suspended the Migwani Ward by-election in Kitui County following a High Court order stopping the electoral process for 30 days.
In a public notice, the commission said the orders were issued on October 22 by the Kitui High Court in Constitutional Petition No. E011 of 2026, filed by Francis Musili Kauta against the IEBC and three other respondents.
“The by-election for Migwani Ward, Mwingi West Constituency, Kitui County, has been suspended following interim conservatory orders issued by the High Court on 22nd October, 2026,” the commission said.
The court issued the orders pending the hearing of the petition, which is scheduled for November 11, 2026.
The suspension means the by-election cannot proceed while the orders remain in force, unless the court directs otherwise.
The IEBC urged voters and other stakeholders to take note of the development, saying further updates would be communicated through its official channels.
The Migwani Ward seat fell vacant after former MCA Harrison Maluki Mawia resigned to take up the position of Clerk of the Kitui County Assembly on August 6, 2026. His departure prompted the declaration of the vacancy and preparations for a by-election, which had been scheduled for November 17.
However, the election process was halted after Kauta filed a petition challenging the process surrounding the declaration of the vacancy. The court's interim orders will remain in place for 30 days pending further proceedings.
The IEBC has not announced a new date for the by-election.
