Ol Kalou residents during the recent campaigns. /DCP
The campaign period for the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election officially comes to an end on Monday, drawing the curtain on a highly charged contest widely tipped as one of the costliest constituency campaigns in recent history.
Candidates are required to end all campaign activities by 6pm, exactly 48 hours before polling day, in accordance with the Elections Act.
The campaigns have been marked by aggressive voter mobilisation, allegations of widespread voter bribery and claims of abuse of state resources, including the rollout of multi-billion-shilling development projects during the campaign period.
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.
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.
Kiaraho died on March 29, 2026 while undergoing treatment at Nairobi Hospital, triggering the by-election barely a year before the 2027 General Election.
The other candidates are 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.
Beyond filling the vacant parliamentary seat, the by-election carries significance that extends far beyond Ol Kalou.
First, it will provide the first major test of the newly reconstituted IEBC's ability to enforce electoral laws amid allegations of violence, voter bribery and misuse of state resources—issues that could define the political environment heading into the 2027 General Election.
The contest is also increasingly being viewed as an early battle for political supremacy in the Mt Kenya region, with both UDA and DCP seeking to demonstrate their strength in what is expected to be one of the country's key presidential battlegrounds.
Its outcome is therefore likely to shape political momentum ahead of 2027, when President Ruto will be seeking a second term against an opposition coalition that has repeatedly pledged to unite behind a single challenger.
Even before voting begins, the IEBC has issued one of its strongest warnings yet, saying it could postpone or even cancel the election if violence and voter bribery undermine the integrity of the process.
IEBC chairperson Erastus Ethekon expressed concern over allegations of large-scale voter bribery and the use of state resources to influence the electorate.
The commission has particularly taken issue with development projects launched in the constituency by senior government officials, including Cabinet Secretaries and Principal Secretaries, during the campaign period.
Ethekon said the commission had deployed investigators to establish the facts before determining the appropriate course of action based on the evidence gathered.
"These small incidents are a precursor to what 2027 will be like, and we cannot allow this trajectory. If conditions are not favourable for IEBC to conduct elections there, we will either postpone or cancel the election altogether. We cannot operate under the kind of violence we are seeing," he warned.
He spoke on July 9 during the launch of the 2022 Pre-Election Dispute Resolution Report.
As candidates make their final appeals to voters before the campaign window closes, attention now shifts to the conduct of Thursday's vote, which the IEBC has pledged will be free, fair and transparent.
The commission says preparations for the by-election have been completed and has urged voters to prepare for polling day.
"The Register of Voters for the Ol Kalou Constituency by-election remains secure. The Commission reminds all registered voters in Ol Kalou Constituency that their original National Identity Card or a valid Kenyan Passport are the only official identification documents to be used on polling day."
In line with the Elections Regulations, 2012, the IEBC has printed and displayed the Register of Voters at all polling stations to enable voters to verify their registration details before polling day.
The commission has also completed the training of Presiding Officers and Deputy Presiding Officers, while the training of polling clerks is ongoing.
According to the gazetted register, Ol Kalou Constituency has 73,480 registered voters spread across 144 polling stations in five wards.
Rurii has 33 polling stations, Kanjuiri Ridge 32, Karau 27, Kaimbaga 27 and Mirangine 25.
Polling stations will close at 5pm on July 16, after which votes will be counted at each polling station before the results are transmitted to the constituency tallying centre at Ol Kalou Secondary School Hall.
Voting procedure
Eligible voters will follow the following process:
- Present an original national identity card or valid Kenyan passport.
- Have their details verified using the KIEMS kit.
- Receive one official stamped ballot paper.
- Proceed to the voting booth and mark the ballot in secret.
- Fold the ballot paper and place it in the ballot box.
- Have a finger marked with indelible ink to prevent multiple voting.
- Leave the polling station immediately after voting.
The IEBC has reminded voters that they must leave the polling station and its immediate precincts promptly after casting their ballots to allow others to vote and to maintain order and security.
The Nyandarua County Security Committee has also warned members of the public against remaining at polling stations under the guise of "protecting votes", saying responsibility for securing the electoral process rests with security agencies and the IEBC.
With campaigns ending and all logistical preparations complete, the focus now shifts from political rhetoric to the ballot box, where Ol Kalou voters will not only choose their next MP but also deliver an early verdict on the political forces shaping the road to the 2027 General Election.
