Do-or-die in Ol-Kalou as Ruto unleashes full campaign arsenal

The Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election is shaping up into a high-stakes political battle that could have far-reaching implications for political bigwigs as the clock ticks towards the 2027 polls.

With just about 16 days before voters in the constituency head to the ballot, President William Ruto has marshalled the full weight of government and political machinery in what insiders describe as a do-or-die contest for the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA).

Ol-Kalou residents will elect their new MP on July 16 to replace David Kiaraho who passed away on March 29.

IEBC has cleared nine candidates to contest the seat.

They include Samuel Muchina Nyagah (UDA), Sammy Kamau Ngotho (DCP), Timothy Kamau (People’s Renaissance Movement) Edwin Muchiri (PNU), Wilson Kigwa (Jubilee), Stephen Wanyoike (NLP), Rachael Njoroge (PDP), Edward Mwaniki (Kenya Moja Movement), and Abdifatah Hussein (Federal Party of Kenya).

The intensity with which State House has approached the race has transformed what would ordinarily have been a local by-election into a symbolic contest over who truly commands the political loyalty of the Mt Kenya region.

In recent days, the President has unveiled a string of development projects and government interventions that residents have long demanded.

Among the headline projects is the establishment of a new university campus expected to serve thousands of students from Nyandarua and neighbouring counties.

The government has also distributed more than 2,700 title deeds to residents, ending decades of uncertainty over land ownership. It has also conducted aggressive youths and women empowerment programmes.

Modern markets have been commissioned to provide traders with improved business spaces, while roads, electricity connectivity and water projects have received fresh allocations.

The projects have become central talking points in the UDA campaign, with party strategists keen to portray the President as a leader delivering tangible development rather than engaging in endless political battles.

Speaking when she presided over the handover of first phase of the university project, Lands Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome defended the initiative, saying it was in recognition that the county is amongst those without a public university.

"This is a promise made by this government since Nyandarua is the only county in the Mt. Kenya region that has no university," Wahome said.

The administration's aggressive push underscores growing concerns within government circles about the changing political mood in Mt Kenya following the fallout between President Ruto and former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.

Ol Kalou is widely being viewed as the second major electoral test of strength between the two camps.

The first was the Mbeere North by-elections where the ruling party candidate emerged winner after beating a joint opposition candidate who ran on the Democratic Party ticket.

A victory for UDA would be evidence that Ruto remains firmly in control of the region despite the rebellion led by his former deputy.

A loss, however, would embolden Gachagua and strengthen claims that the mountain has drifted away from the President.

But Gatanga MP Edward Muriu dismissed the government's intensified development push in Ol Kalau ahead of the by-election, insisting that no amount of state projects will buy the loyalty of the electorate.

Muriu, a confidant of Gachaguua and one of the DCP campaigners in Ol Kalou, said residents had already made up their minds and would vote based on leadership and the need for change rather than what he termed as last-minute government incentives.

He insisted the by-election would not be decided by development promises, arguing that voters were looking beyond government ‘goodies’ and would send a strong political message at the ballot.

“You can build a city of gold in Ol-Kalou, but it will not change the will of the people," Muriu said.

Interestingly, the government's all-out offensive comes at a time when Gachagua has announced a 45-day political conclave that will largely coincide with the campaign period.

The move has raised eyebrows among political observers, some of whom believe it could inadvertently hand UDA a strategic advantage on the ground.

Some analysts interpret the timing as a sign that DCP may not be fully prepared for the bruising battle ahead.

Political analyst Kidi Mwaga told the Star the absence of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua from the Ol Kalau by-election campaign trail is sending mixed signals about the DCP's commitment to the contest.

Mwaga argued that while the party has declared the race a key political battle, Gachagua's decision to embark on a 45-day nationwide consultative tour during the campaign period has raised questions over the level of priority the party is giving the by-election.

He said the absence could portray its opponents as lacking confidence in the race, even as DCP leaders insist they remain fully committed to winning the seat.

"The posture taken by Gachagua not to actively campaign for his candidate is an interesting one. There is an old adage that when a bull breaks its leg, it runs to the kraal. This is a case of a political bull whose leg is broken," Kidi told the Star.

  “So the so-called 45-day conclave, the lack of imagination is hard to miss, is a decoy.  It's a testament that the DCP chief is overwhelmed by the political artillery from the President.”

Even with the DCP brigade on the ground, Kidi argues that Gachagua’s presence could carry more weight.

 “In my assessment, the same beating they have suffered in other by elections await them in Ol Kalou, the heart of Mount Kenya.

Gachagua’s break has handed UDA valuable political ammunition.

Observers also interpret it as a sign that the opposition is detached from voters at a time when every political appearance matter.

Early this month, Gachagua announced that he will withdraw from public political rallies for the next 45 days and instead shift focus to his Wamunyoro residence.

According to the DCP boss, attention will now be on intensive consultations aimed at uniting opposition leaders behind a single presidential candidate to challenge President William Ruto in the 2027 elections.

INSTANT ANALYSIS

With barely weeks before voters head to the ballot, President William Ruto has marshalled the full weight of government and political machinery in what insiders describe as a must-win contest for the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA).