The people of Ol Kalou Constituency in Nyandarua County woke up before the crack of dawn on Thursday, July 16, 2026, braving the biting morning cold to cast their ballots in the highly anticipated parliamentary by-election.
Wrapped in heavy jackets, Maasai shukas and warm hats, voters began arriving at polling centres as early as 5:00 AM, with long queues forming outside several stations long before the official opening time of 6:00 AM.
The by-election has been called to fill the vacant Member of National Assembly seat following the death of former area MP David Njuguna Kiaraho, who passed away on March 29, 2026, while undergoing treatment at Nairobi Hospital.
A total of 73,480 registered voters spread across five wards Kaimbaga, Kanjuiri, Karau, Mirangine and Rurii are eligible to participate in the exercise.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) established 144 polling stations across the constituency to ensure smooth voting.
The race has attracted nine candidates, but the contest has effectively narrowed into a two-horse battle between the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA), which has fronted Samuel Muchina Nyagah, and the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP), whose candidate is former MCA Sammy Kamau Ngotho.
Other candidates in the race include Jubilee Party's Wilson Kigwa, Timothy Kamau of the People's Renaissance Movement, Edwin Muchiri of PNU, Stephen Wanyoike of the National Liberal Party, Rachael Njoroge, Edward Mwaniki of the Kenya Moja Movement and Abdifatah Hussein of the Federal Party of Kenya.
By 1:00 PM, IEBC announced that voter turnout in Ol Kalou Constituency stood at 38.2% of registered voters. The Commission expressed satisfaction with the progress of the exercise, noting that most polling stations had opened on time at 6:00 AM.
In a press release, IEBC appreciated Kenyans who woke up early to queue at various polling stations hours before opening, despite the chilly weather conditions.
The Commission also urged those who had not yet left their homes or businesses to go out and exercise their democratic right.
The electoral body further assured voters that in polling stations where unexpected delays in opening or interruptions in voting were experienced, the Presiding Officer would extend polling hours by the amount of time lost. This ensures that no voter is disenfranchised due to administrative challenges.
At Huruma Primary School, where UDA candidate Samuel Muchina Nyagah cast his ballot, the IEBC established four voting streams to ease congestion and facilitate a smooth process. Speaking to journalists after voting, Muchina expressed confidence in winning the contest but said he was prepared to accept whatever outcome the people of Ol Kalou decide.
“I am ready for the outcome because I know I am winning. If I lose, it's also okay. I will follow the law,” he said. He commended the voter turnout witnessed across the constituency, describing it as a testament to residents' commitment to exercising their democratic right.
DCP candidate Sammy Kamau Ngotho is expected to cast his vote at AC Primary School. Meanwhile, DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua, the former Deputy President, has praised the peaceful conduct of the exercise, urging registered voters still at home to turn out in large numbers.
Speaking to a local radio station, Gachagua said young people had mobilised voters from as early as 3:00 AM, and by 6:00 AM everyone was out. He expressed hope that voter turnout would reach 90 per cent.
Security has been significantly heightened for the by-election, with the National Police Service deploying more than 1,000 officers across the constituency's polling stations.
Inspector General Douglas Kanja said each polling station would be manned by at least two police officers, backed by standby response teams. Officers from the General Service Unit (GSU), Anti-Stock Theft Unit (ASTU) and Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have also been placed on standby.
Central Regional Commissioner Joshua Nkanatha assured voters that the exercise was proceeding peacefully, dismissing allegations of intimidation. “So far, we are happy to report that the voting exercise has started peacefully.
We have not received reports of any disturbances, and our officers are deployed across the constituency to ensure every voter exercises their democratic right without fear,” he said.
Regional Police Commander Geoffrey Mayek also rejected claims that the heavy deployment was intended to intimidate voters, stating that officers had been deployed only to maintain law and order.
The IEBC has reminded all stakeholders political parties, candidates, agents, the media and voters to respect the law and uphold peace during and after polling. The Commission warned against any actions that may compromise the secrecy or integrity of the vote.
Voters have been reminded that once they have cast their vote, they are required to exit the polling station and its immediate precincts promptly to allow others to exercise their right and maintain order and security.
The Commission has also clarified that there is no provision in law for “super agents” or any unauthorised persons to operate within polling or tallying centres, including leaders of political parties.
Further, state officers and public officers who are registered voters are entitled to vote only at their designated polling stations and are not permitted to roam from one polling station to another.
All eligible voters are being accurately identified using the Kenya Integrated Elections Management System (KIEMS) kits, with the original national identity card or valid Kenyan passport being the only accepted identification documents.
The IEBC has also warned voters against photographing or recording marked ballot papers, noting that this constitutes an election offence under the Elections Offences Act.
After the close of polling at 5:00 PM, the Presiding Officer in full view of agents, observers and the media will open the ballot box, count the ballots and tabulate the results at the polling station in an open and transparent process.
To enhance transparency, agents present will be allowed to take photographs of the official results forms, and a copy of the results form will be pasted at the polling station for public display.
The Returning Officer will thereafter receive results from all Presiding Officers, verify and collate them, announce constituency-level results, and declare the winner in the presence of agents and accredited stakeholders.
Only accredited persons with identification and badges will be allowed to access the tallying centres and observe the tallying process.
The Ol Kalou by-election is being closely watched as a barometer of political influence in the Mt Kenya region ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Political observers have described it as one of the costliest constituency elections in recent history, with both UDA and DCP seeking to demonstrate their electoral strength.
The outcome of this contest is expected to offer an early indication of political alignments in Central Kenya following the fallout between former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and President William Ruto.
As the day progresses, the IEBC has assured the country that it will keep the public regularly updated on all developments touching on this by-election.
The Commission has urged all eligible voters in Ol Kalou Constituency to turn out and ensure they vote for their candidates of choice.
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