Ol Kalou Constituency has a new Member of Parliament after voters turned out in significant numbers on Thursday to elect Sammy Kamau Ngotho of the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) in a by-election conducted under tight security and largely peaceful conditions.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) declared Ngotho the winner after he secured 35,440 votes, defeating his closest challenger, United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidate Samuel Muchina Nyagah, who garnered 5,450 votes. The mini-poll was held to fill the parliamentary seat left vacant following the death of former MP David Njuguna Kiaraho in March 2026.

The by-election drew national attention as it became the first parliamentary contest in the Mt Kenya region since Kiaraho’s death and was closely watched for its political implications ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Voting began at 6 a.m. across the constituency’s 144 polling stations, where 73,480 registered voters were expected to cast their ballots. Election officials, party agents, and security personnel were deployed across the constituency to oversee the exercise, which IEBC said proceeded according to plan.

By early afternoon, voter participation had exceeded expectations. IEBC reported turnout at 38.2 per cent by 1 p.m., before rising to 50.78 per cent by 3 p.m., signalling sustained voter participation throughout the day. The commission later confirmed that more than 41,000 voters cast ballots before polling stations closed at 5 p.m.

Speaking during the voting exercise, the IEBC assured residents that polling was progressing smoothly despite the highly contested race.

“The Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election is progressing well as planned,” the commission said in its official status update, adding that all election officials had reported to their assigned polling stations and voting materials had been delivered on time.

As polling drew to a close, IEBC Commissioner Anne Nderitu reminded voters who had already queued before the official closing time that they would still be allowed to vote.

“Those who are in the queue by 5.00 p.m. will be allowed to vote before the counting process begins,” Nderitu said while outlining the commission’s vote-counting and results declaration procedures.

The commission also cautioned political leaders, candidates and supporters against interfering with polling stations and tallying centres, emphasizing that only accredited officials and agents were permitted inside restricted election areas.

Counting of ballots commenced immediately after voting ended, with results transmitted from polling stations to the constituency tallying centre in accordance with the Elections Act and IEBC regulations. The commission maintained that the process would remain transparent, with agents from competing candidates present during counting and tallying.

Although the campaign period had been marked by allegations of voter bribery, isolated confrontations and claims of political intimidation, election day itself was largely peaceful across the constituency. Security officers maintained a visible presence at polling stations, while election observers reported orderly voting and minimal disruption in most centres.

The race featured nine candidates, but political attention centred on Sammy Ngotho and Muchina Nyagah, whose campaigns attracted senior political leaders from rival camps during weeks of intense campaigning. The outcome is expected to shape political calculations in the Mt Kenya region, where parties are increasingly positioning themselves ahead of the next general election.

With the declaration of the final results, Ol Kalou regains representation in the National Assembly after nearly four months without an elected MP. Ngotho now assumes the responsibility of representing the constituency, succeeding the late David Kiaraho, who had served as Ol Kalou MP since 2013 until his death earlier this year.