By The Weekly Vision Political Reporter
The Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) won the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election decisively, with its candidate Sammy Kamau Ngotho declared winner by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) after a commanding lead over his closest rival.
Ngotho received 33,937 votes, far ahead of UDA candidate Samuel Muchina Nyagah, who got 5,304. The by-election followed the death of Ol Kalou MP David Njuguna Kiaraho in March 2026, and the IEBC recorded 73,480 registered voters across 144 polling stations in the constituency. Other contestants, including those from Jubilee and smaller parties, trailed far behind. The by-election, held on 16 July 2026, was widely viewed by many as a litmus test for both DCP and the ruling UDA ahead of the 2027 general election. Mr Rigathi Gachagua, the DCP leader and former Deputy President, had framed the contest as a defining moment for Mt Kenya, positioning DCP as the authentic voice of the region against perceived overreach by the central government.
Speaking after early results emerged, Mr Gachagua declared that the people of Ol Kalou had spoken decisively, dismissing UDA’s performance and alleging that its campaign relied more on financial inducements than genuine support. As tallying got underway, he also revealed that DCP had set up a parallel tallying system on its party page, allowing supporters to follow the count independently of the official IEBC process.
DCP figures, including EALA MP Kanini Kega, described the victory as the “burial” of UDA’s influence in the mountain and the launchpad for a renewed 2027 challenge. The result gives DCP an important electoral breakthrough and delivers a significant political setback to UDA in Nyandarua County, cementing Gachagua’s standing as a political force in the region. Mr Ngotho secured the DCP ticket in a landslide during party primaries in May. He comes from Ol Kalou Constituency, is regarded within the area as a grassroots leader with strong local networks built over more than a decade in politics, and began his political career in 2013 when he was elected the first Member of County Assembly for Karau Ward.
Now declared the winner, he is expected to assume office once the IEBC completes post-election formalities, with campaign pledges including improved infrastructure, support for farmers, expanded youth employment and better delivery of public services in the constituency. UDA’s Samuel Muchina conceded defeat even before the official declaration, congratulating his rival in a statement posted to Facebook. “Congratulations Sammy Kamau Waweru. Go serve the people of Ol Kalou Constituency,” Muchina said, urging the incoming legislator to serve residents diligently.
His concession was echoed at the highest levels of government. Deputy President Kithure Kindiki became the most senior government figure to acknowledge the outcome, congratulating Ngotho on his victory and urging him to unite residents and serve them all without distinction, while also commending Muchina for a mature, issue-based campaign devoid of insults. State House digital strategist Dennis Itumbi likewise conceded the seat for UDA, congratulating the winner on a well-fought and well-won contest.
Ahead of the vote, some UDA-aligned figures had struck a more defiant tone. Laikipia East MP Mwangi Kiunjuri had argued that even a close contest would amount to a loss for DCP, given the party’s repeated claims that Ol Kalou was its stronghold, while insisting UDA was on course to win the seat. Former Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria had framed the race as a contest between political rhetoric and the desire for economic development, suggesting a DCP loss would signal a bleak political future for the opposition. The scale of the eventual result left such predictions overtaken by events, with government-aligned figures moving swiftly to concede once the trend became clear.
The constituency, traditionally an opposition-leaning area in an agriculturally rich part of Nyandarua County, has long harboured grievances over infrastructure and development. Analysts suggest that anti-incumbency sentiment towards the national government, combined with effective grassroots mobilisation by DCP, proved decisive. The poll was not without controversy. Reports emerged of isolated incidents, including attacks on polling stations and claims of voter intimidation, prompting accusations and counter-accusations between the camps.
Mr Gachagua blamed certain Mt Kenya MPs aligned with the government for orchestrating disruptions, while authorities justified the heavy police deployment as necessary to maintain order. For President William Ruto’s UDA, the result represents a setback in a region that played a pivotal role in the 2022 elections. UDA was born in Mt Kenya, yet the swift, cross-party concessions that followed the count raise fresh questions about the party’s staying power there.
Political observers note that while by-elections often carry limited national weight, the scale of DCP’s triumph in Ol Kalou could embolden opposition-leaning forces and reshape alliances in the lead-up to the next general election. As Kenya’s political landscape continues to realign, today’s result in this quiet highland constituency may yet echo loudly in Nairobi.
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