DCP candidate Sammy Kamau Ngotho arrives to vote at Comprehensive Primary to vote accompanied by Nyandarua Senator John Methu and Naivasha MP Jayne Kihara/FILE
The Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) took an early lead in the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election on Thursday night, with provisional results from a majority of polling stations placing its candidate, Sammy Douglas Waweru, well ahead of his closest rivals.
The figures, which had not been confirmed by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) by the time of publication, showed Kamau opening a commanding advantage over UDA candidate Samuel Muchina Nyagah as vote tallying continued.
According to the provisional results, Kamau had garnered more than 10,000 votes against Muchina's about 2,000 after results from at least 96 of the 144 polling stations received.
The early lead sparked celebrations among DCP supporters, who gathered outside the constituency tallying centre at Ol Kalou Senior School chanting victory slogans, singing and waving party flags as they awaited the official declaration.
Despite the growing excitement, the IEBC urged the public to wait for the official announcement, noting that only the Returning Officer has the legal mandate to declare the final results.
The by-election attracted national attention after evolving into a high-stakes political contest between President William Ruto's UDA and the opposition-backed DCP.
Senior leaders from both camps campaigned vigorously across the constituency, portraying the race as a crucial political test ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Voting was largely peaceful, with security heightened across the constituency following reports of isolated incidents during the campaign period.
There were, however, some few incidents reporter outside some stations.
There were also reports of journalists covering the by-election being attacked by suspected goons while on assignment. The media crews were reportedly harassed as they covered developments in the constituency, drawing condemnation from media stakeholders who called for the safety of journalists during electoral processes.
More than 1,000 police officers, including personnel from the General Service Unit (GSU), Anti-Stock Theft Unit (ASTU) and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), were deployed to secure the exercise.
After polling stations closed, election officials counted ballots in the presence of party agents before sealing ballot boxes and transporting them under police escort to the constituency tallying centre.
IEBC officials then began receiving and verifying results from polling stations before commencing the tabulation process.
The parliamentary seat fell vacant following the death of area MP David Kiaraho, prompting the commission to schedule the by-election.
Political analysts are closely watching the outcome, saying it could provide an indication of the shifting political landscape in the Mt Kenya region, where DCP has been seeking to challenge UDA's dominance.
By Thursday night, supporters from both camps had camped outside the tallying centre awaiting the official declaration.
While the provisional figures suggested DCP was firmly on course for victory, the commission had yet to certify the results, with the official outcome expected after verification and tallying of all polling station returns.
