Hassan Omar promises to watch his words after IEBC grilling over dead voters row

United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Secretary-General Hassan Omar/HANDOUTUnited Democratic Alliance (UDA) Secretary-General Hassan Omar has pledged to use simpler language during political campaigns to avoid remarks that could raise tensions or be interpreted as incitement.

Omar made the commitment on Wednesday when he appeared before the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Electoral Code of Conduct Committee to respond to allegations that he suggested UDA would use the biometric details of deceased voters to secure President William Ruto’s re-election.

The committee, chaired by IEBC Commissioner Moses Alutalala Mukhwana, questioned Omar over remarks he allegedly made during a rally in Mombasa County on September 11, 2026.

Addressing the committee, Omar maintained that his remarks had been taken out of context, insisting that he was speaking jokingly during a meeting with local elders and administrators in Changamwe Sub-County.

He said the gathering was organised around the issuance of national identity cards and voter registration, rather than an event intended to discuss electoral malpractice.

“It was an ID issuance and voter registration drive event. I was addressing local administrators on an administrative process,” Omar told the committee.

He argued that the reaction of people who attended the meeting demonstrated that his remarks were understood as a joke and part of the political language commonly used during campaigns.

“If you look at their reaction, they laughed because they knew it was a joke, part of political jargon,” he said.

Omar attributed the controversy to political competition, arguing that statements made by politicians were often amplified or reinterpreted to advance competing political interests.

“We are living in a context of political competition, and the role of political spinning is there,” he said.

The UDA secretary-general also questioned how the remarks had been reported, claiming that a media report suggesting the party was preparing to use deceased voters had emerged after the comments had initially attracted little attention.

“Politicians being politicians will want to spin anything and everything. We are in a campaign mood; they also say a lot of bad things about us,” he said.

Omar denied that he or any other government official had previously used deceased persons’ details to influence an election, insisting that UDA had no intention of registering dead people.

“I have never used dead people before; none of us in government has done it before. We are not asking for BVR kits to register dead people,” he said.

Despite defending his remarks, Omar said he had taken the concerns raised by the electoral commission into account and would be more careful with his choice of words during the campaign period.

“I am well guided. I will use simpler language in campaigns,” he said.

He maintained that the controversy had arisen from a brief excerpt of a much longer address, arguing that the broader context of his remarks had been overlooked.

“I speak a lot. I spoke for one hour, and they want a sound bite of one minute,” Omar said.

The IEBC is evaluating the allegations under the Electoral Code of Conduct provided for in the Elections Act, 2011, which sets standards for political parties, candidates and their supporters during the electoral process.