Voters in Ol Kalou Constituency will head to the polls on Thursday, July 16, to elect a new Member of Parliament in a by-election that has drawn national attention and is widely seen as an early political test ahead of the 2027 General Election.
High-octane campaigns in Ol Kalou Constituency drew to a close on Monday, July 13, with the leading candidates holding mega rallies in Ol Kalou town to mobilize last-minute support ahead of Thursday’s by-election.
Although the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) cleared nine candidates to contest, the race has evolved into a high-stakes political showdown between President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) led by his former deputy, Rigathi Gachagua.
While UDA is seeking to claim the seat, DCP has portrayed the by-election as an opportunity to demonstrate its growing grassroots support in Mt Kenya.
The ruling UDA and Gachagua’s DCP have dominated the campaigns, turning Ol Kalou into a symbolic contest for political influence in a region that has traditionally backed UDA.
While the by-election will determine who succeeds the late David Kiaraho as Ol Kalou MP, it is also expected to provide an early indication of the political mood in the Mt Kenya region.
The parliamentary seat fell vacant following the death of David Kiaraho, who was elected on a Jubilee Party ticket in the 2022 General Election.
Kiaraho died on March 29, 2026, while undergoing treatment at Nairobi Hospital, triggering the by-election just over a year before the 2027 General Election.
Where is Ol Kalou Constituency?
Ol Kalou is one of the five constituencies in Nyandarua County and is home to Ol Kalou Municipality, the county headquarters.
It lies about 40 kilometres east of Nakuru along the Ol Kalou–Gilgil Road, near the Aberdare Range
The town traces its origins to 1905, when it was established as a railway post along the Gilgil–Nyahururu railway line.
The railway opened up the area for farming, attracting settlers engaged in livestock rearing and the cultivation of crops such as wheat, barley, pyrethrum and potatoes.
After independence in 1963, Ol Kalou was among the areas selected for government settlement schemes, with former European-owned farms acquired and subdivided for African families.
Under the 2010 Constitution, Ol Kalou was designated the headquarters of the newly created Nyandarua County.
The town was later elevated to a municipality under the Urban Areas and Cities Act, cementing its role as Nyandarua’s administrative, commercial and political centre.
Today, agriculture remains the backbone of the local economy, with dairy farming, potato production, maize farming and horticulture supporting thousands of households.
The constituency has five wards: Rurii, Kanjuiri Ridge, Karau, Kaimbaga and Mirangine.
Also Read: IEBC Sets Tough Conditions for Agents and Voters Ahead of Ol Kalou By-Elections
Registered Voters and Polling Stations
IEBC has registered 73,480 voters in the constituency, who will cast their ballots at 144 polling stations.
The polling stations are distributed as follows:
- Rurii – 33 polling stations
- Kanjuiri Ridge – 32 polling stations
- Karau – 27 polling stations
- Kaimbaga – 27 polling stations
- Mirangine – 25 polling stations
The constituency tallying centre will be at Ol Kalou Secondary School Hall.
Also Read: Samuel Muchina: The UDA Flagbearer Eyeing Ol Kalou’s Top Seat
Who are the candidates?
The IEBC cleared nine candidates to contest the seat. However, the race has largely narrowed to a battle between UDA and DCP.
DCP has fielded Sammy Kamau Ngotho, while UDA is backing Samuel Muchina Nyagah.
The Jubilee Party is also seeking to reclaim the seat it won in the 2022 General Election through the late David Kiaraho.
The other candidates are:
- Timothy Kamau – People’s Renaissance Movement
- Edwin Muchiri – Party of National Unity (PNU)
- Stephen Wanyoike – National Liberal Party
- Rachael Njoroge – Independent candidate
- Edward Mwaniki – Kenya Moja Movement
- Abdifatah Hussein – Federal Party of Kenya
UDA vs DCP: What’s at Stake
UDA heads into the Ol Kalou by-election as the ruling party.
In the weeks leading up to the July 16 vote, President William Ruto’s administration launched and commissioned several projects in the constituency, a move widely viewed as part of efforts to boost support for the party’s candidate, Samuel Muchina Nyagah.
Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries and Head of Presidential Special Projects and Creative Economy Dennis Itumbi campaigned across the constituency while presiding over projects in housing, roads, education, trade, land administration and digital connectivity.
A UDA victory would strengthen the party’s foothold in the Mt Kenya region ahead of the 2027 General Election.
On the final day of campaigns, UDA leaders held rallies across the constituency, urging residents to vote for Nyagah. Laikipia East MP Mwangi Kiunjuri and Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru were among leaders who spearheaded the campaigns.
For DCP, the Ol Kalou by-election is the party’s biggest electoral test since its launch.
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has led campaigns for the party’s candidate, Sammy Kamau Ngotho, alongside several opposition leaders.
A victory would hand DCP its first parliamentary seat and strengthen its presence in the Mt Kenya region.
During the final campaign rally at Arboretum Grounds in Ol Kalou town, the DCP team, led by Nyandarua Senator John Methu, drew large crowds as party leaders made their final appeal to voters before campaigns closed.
Also Read: IEBC Hits Nakuru MP David Gikaria With KSh2.5M Fine Over Ol Kalou Campaign Remarks
What Voters Should Know
Polling stations will open at 6.00 a.m. and close at 5.00 p.m.
The IEBC has prohibited the use of mobile phones inside voting booths and warned that taking photographs of marked ballot papers is an electoral offence that could attract a jail term.
The commission has also barred voters from wearing political party colours, campaign materials or clothing bearing symbols of candidates or political parties at polling stations.
Only accredited party agents will be allowed inside polling stations, with each political party or candidate permitted to appoint one agent per polling station and one chief agent at the constituency tallying centre.
After voting, ballots will be counted at each polling station before results are transmitted to Ol Kalou Secondary School Hall, where the constituency returning officer will tally and announce the final results.
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