DCP Crushes UDA in Ol Kalou as Sammy Waweru Secures Landslide By-Election Victory
The Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) has scored a significant political victory after its candidate, Sammy Douglas Kamau Waweru, was declared the winner of the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election, delivering a heavy defeat to President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) in one of the most closely watched electoral contests of the year.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) officially declared Waweru the duly elected Member of Parliament for Ol Kalou Constituency on Friday, July 17, after he secured an emphatic 35,440 votes in the by-election held a day earlier.
Announcing the final results, Returning Officer Antony Njiraine confirmed that Waweru comfortably defeated UDA candidate Samuel Muchina Nyagah, who managed 5,450 votes, leaving a staggering margin of nearly 30,000 votes between the two leading contenders.
The remaining candidates finished far behind in the race. Jubilee Party’s Wilson Mwaniki Kigwa placed third with 198 votes, while Stephen Wanyoike Waithaka of the National Liberal Party (NLP) garnered 103 votes.
Other candidates included Timothy Kamau Kariuki (People’s Movement) with 51 votes, Edwin Kariiri Muchiri (PNU) with 28 votes, Abdifatah Hussein Abdullahi (FPK) with 19 votes, Edward Mathenge Mwaniki (KMM) with 16 votes, and Rachael Wangui Njoroge (PDP), who received 11 votes.
According to the electoral commission, 73,480 voters were registered in the constituency, with 41,656 ballots cast, representing a voter turnout of approximately 57 per cent.
A Major Political Statement
The Ol Kalou contest attracted nationwide attention after evolving into more than a routine parliamentary by-election. Political observers viewed it as a symbolic showdown between forces allied to former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua—whose DCP has been seeking to establish itself in the Mt Kenya region—and President William Ruto’s ruling UDA party.
Senior politicians from both camps pitched camp in Nyandarua County throughout the campaign period, transforming the race into a high-stakes test of political influence ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Waweru’s decisive victory now hands DCP one of its most significant electoral wins to date and is expected to boost the party’s efforts to expand its presence across the Mt Kenya region.
Seat Fell Vacant After Former MP’s Death
The by-election was conducted following the death of former Ol Kalou MP David Njuguna Kiaraho, creating the vacancy that prompted Thursday’s vote.
Following the completion of vote tallying across all polling stations, the IEBC formally declared Waweru the winner, bringing an end to an intensely contested campaign that drew sustained national political attention.
IEBC Praises Peaceful Electoral Process
After announcing the final results, the commission commended voters and all stakeholders involved in the exercise for ensuring the election was conducted peacefully.
“We thank the voters of Ol Kalou Constituency, candidates, political parties, election officials, security agencies, observers, the media and all stakeholders for contributing to a peaceful and orderly electoral process,” the IEBC said in its official statement.
The commission also confirmed that the official declaration forms and detailed polling station results had been published on its public results portal.
The outcome is expected to reshape political calculations in the Mt Kenya region, with DCP likely to view the commanding victory as evidence of growing grassroots support as parties begin positioning themselves for the 2027 General Election.
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