Candidates seeking the support of 44,447 voters in the Emurua Dikirr Constituency by-election in Narok County, set to be held on Thursday, have only one day to make their final pitches.
With the campaign window for the May 14, 2026 poll set to close on Tuesday, the race is shaping up as one between President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party seeking to retain the seat and his former Rigathi Gachagua’s Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) that is seeking to cause an upset.
President William Ruto's UDA party is fronting David Keter while Rigathi Gachagua's DCP nominated Vincent Rotich for the Emurua Dikirr parliamentary by-election scheduled for May 14.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
Ng’eno perished alongside the pilot of the ill-fated helicopter - George Were, photojournalist Nick Kosgei, a teacher, Carlos Kibet Keter, a Kenya Forest Services (KFS) Ranger, Amos Kipngetich Rotich and a protocol officer at the Narok County government, Wycliff Kiprotich Rono.
Former Emurua Dikirr Member of Parliament the late Johana Ng'eno
Photo credit: File | Nation
David Kipsang Keter is flying the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party flag while Vincent Kibet Rotich has the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) banner. The two are perceived as the main contenders for the vacant position in a constituency known to have non-conformist voters and leaders.
Mr Gideon Koech, a Bomet-based advocate, is running on a National Vision Party (NVP), while a businesswoman, Ms Desma Cherono, is the Party of National Unity (PNU) flag bearer, with both having conducted low-key campaigns compared with Mr Keter and Mr Rotich.
The candidates have hit the ground running in the four civic wards – Mogondo, Kapsasian, Ilkerin and Ololmasani – seeking the support of youth and women in the constituency that residents claim to have been at the bottom of the list in the current and previous government’s development agenda.
Poor infrastructural facilities, especially roads and bridges, lack of health facilities and water projects have dominated the campaigns in the last two months in the area.
Mr Keter, who thrice unsuccessfully contested against Mr Ng’eno, called on women and the youth in the area to back him for the position, saying he would work with government agencies to complete the projects initiated by the former MP.
United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party candidate in the Emurua Dikirr Constituency nominations David Keter waits for the results to be announced at Emurua Dikirr Secondary School on March 27, 2026.
Photo credit: Vitalis Kimutai | Nation Media Group
“With the remaining few months to the next general election, if elected, I will work closely with the government to fast-track implementation of development projects initiated by our late MP,” Mr Keter said.
Mr Rotich, the DCP candidate and former Member of the County Assembly for Mogondo ward, said the residents of the region were fed up with failed promises for development by the government and would use the by-election to send a strong signal that they will be in the opposition by choice.
“It would not be the first time that the residents of Emurua Dikirr will be going against the grain. It should be remembered that the last general election was the only one in which our late MP was elected on a popular party ticket. He had won elections using parties that were considered fringe at the time,” Mr Rotich said.
Mr Rotich stated, “The DCP surprise win in the Narok Town civic by-election in November 2025 by Mr Douglas Twala Masikonte, who trounced UDA party candidate and former area Member of the County Assembly, Robert Kanyinke Ole Kudate, garnering 6,007 against 4,479 votes, will be replicated in Emurua Dikirr in the next two weeks.”
DCP party leader Rigathi Gachagua (right) with his deputy Cleophas Malala (centre) present a nomination certificate to Vincent Rotich during the issuance of party tickets for the Emurua Dikirr parliamentary by-election at the DCP headquarters, Nairobi on April 7, 2026.
Photo credit: Lucy Wanjiru | Nation Media Group
On the other hand, Mr Koech (NVP candidate) has been conducting his campaigns in the four civic wars for the last month as he seeks to woo voters to his side.
“It is unfortunate that since independence, Emurua Dikirr constituency has lagged in development, yet we live on the Maasai Mara basin, which generates billions of shillings annually to the Narok county and national governments,” Mr Koech said.
Ms Desma Cherono, the PNU candidate, said in a recent interview that the region’s residents were keen on electing a woman to manage their development agenda.
“The people of Emurua Dikirr are a very democratic lot, and I can assure you they will pull a surprise in the May 14 by-election,” Ms Cherono said.
Cabinet Secretary for Defence Soipan Tuya, nominated Senator Joyce Korir and Narok Woman Representative Rebecca Tonkei have hit the campaign trail in support of Mr Keter, where they called on residents to rally behind the UDA candidate.
Mr Keter beat Mr Benard Ng’eno, a former Personal Assistant to former MP (Ng’eno) in the UDA party nominations, where he garnered 13,749 votes against 13,394.
“There is a need for the people of Emurua Dikirr Constituency to back the UDA candidate (Mr Keter) in honour of the former MP (Ng’eno) who was the party’s legislator, and to ensure that the projects he helped initiate are completed by the government,” Ms Tuya said.
Ms Tuya said, “President William Ruto had promised to complete the projects initiated by the late MP and has already taken up others that have been identified by the local community for funding by the national government.”
Ms Korir said it would be easier for a UDA MP to pitch for development projects to be funded by the national government in the area, as opposed to an opposition leader who has no direct access to the Presidency and other arms of government.
“We must not lose sight of the fact that President Ruto is settled in the region and it would be an honour for the locals to elect a UDA candidate in the by-election.
Being a resident, the President understands the issues affecting the locals and his intervention would be required in the days ahead,” Ms Korir said.
The constituency was carved out of Kilgoris before the 2013 general election and has only had the late Ng’eno as the area MP.
