GACHAGUA'S DCP CRUSHES RUTO'S UDA IN OL KALOU BY-ELECTION OL KALOU, NYANDARUA COUNTY.

 The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) declared Sammy Douglas Kamau Waweru of DCP the duly elected Member of the National Assembly for Ol Kalou Constituency after he garnered 35,440 votes in the July 16 by-election. UDA candidate Samuel Muchina Nyagah finished a distant second with 5,450 votes, giving DCP a landslide victory by nearly seven times the votes secured by its closest rival.

The outcome marks DCP's first parliamentary victory since the party's formation and is expected to boost Gachagua's political standing in the Mt Kenya region, where he has been seeking to consolidate support ahead of the 2027 General Election. Political observers are likely to view the result as an early indicator of the shifting political landscape in one of Kenya's most influential voting blocs.
The Ol Kalou contest attracted national attention, with senior leaders from both DCP and UDA pitching camp in the constituency during weeks of intense campaigns. The by-election was widely seen as more than a race for a parliamentary seat, evolving into a political contest between President Ruto and his former deputy, Rigathi Gachagua.
Following his victory, MP-elect Sammy Kamau thanked the residents of Ol Kalou for their overwhelming support and pledged to serve all constituents regardless of their political affiliation. He described the outcome as a victory for the people and committed to prioritizing development and unity in the constituency.
Gachagua welcomed the victory, describing it as a historic milestone for DCP and thanking the people of Ol Kalou for placing their confidence in the party. He will lead a thanksgiving tour in the constituency following the decisive win.
The by-election was conducted under heavy security following isolated incidents reported on the eve of polling, but voting and tallying were completed before the IEBC announced the final results.
The DCP victory also sparked mixed reactions on social media as Deputy President Kithure Kindiki congratulating Sammy Douglas Waweru Kamau on his "imminent victory," while Cabinet Secretary Cecily Mbarire also congratulated the MP-elect and wished him success in serving the people of Ol Kalou. In contrast, another post attributed to Geoffrey Kiringa Ruku stated: "We as Mt. Kenya East do not care what happens in Mt. Kenya West," highlighting differing political reactions following the by-election. 
With DCP's emphatic victory in Ol Kalou, the political battle for Mt Kenya has intensified, with analysts expected to closely watch whether the momentum shifts ahead of the 2027 General Election.