Ol Kalou By-Election Marred by Violence as DCP Hands UDA Crushing Defeat
The Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election was marred by reports of violence, alleged bribery, and accusations of government interference, despite extensive security deployments. As provisional results indicated a lead for DCP candidate Waweru Douglas, celebrations erupted, though the electoral commission urged patience for official declarations.
Kenya's Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election was overshadowed by allegations of voter bribery, violence and intimidation before ending in a resounding victory for the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP).
The contest, widely viewed as a political test between President William Ruto's United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua's DCP, drew heavy security deployment and intense national attention.
Reports from several polling stations alleged incidents of voter bribery and intimidation, while clashes erupted in parts of the constituency during voting. The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) distanced itself from masked men seen moving around the constituency, with Commissioner Hassan Noor Hassan stating that the electoral body had no connection to the individuals.
Gachagua accused the government of using an unusually large police deployment to influence the outcome of the election, an allegation the government has not accepted. Security agencies maintained that the officers were deployed solely to maintain law and order during the vote.
Despite the tensions, voting proceeded across the constituency before ballots were transported under tight security to the tallying centre.
The IEBC later declared DCP candidate Sammy Douglas Kamau Waweru the winner after he secured 35,440 votes, defeating UDA's Samuel Muchina Nyaga, who received 5,450 votes. The landslide victory was one of the biggest by-election defeats suffered by the ruling party in recent years and was celebrated by supporters across Ol Kalou.
Following the declaration, the UDA acknowledged the outcome but insisted the result did not diminish its political strength in the Mt. Kenya region. Party Secretary General Hassan Omar congratulated the winner and thanked voters for participating peacefully while maintaining that UDA remained firmly rooted in the region ahead of the 2027 General Election.