A front-end wheel loader loads ballast into wagons of a metre-gauge railway at the Baraka area in Nakuru County on June 28, 2026. The ballast is for the maintenance works along the 398-kilometre railway line. Kenya Railways Corporation (KRC) recently resumed passenger services on the Gilgil–Ol Kalou–Nyahururu route, with trains operating twice weekly between Nairobi and Nyahururu.
The national government has pumped in billions of shillings into Nyandarua County for the completion of ongoing projects and implementation of new ones, days before the July 16 Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election, in which the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) is seeking to extend its near-perfect record in mini-polls.
The allocation covers projects across the county, with roads accounting for about Sh22 billion of the total, and with Ol Kalou alone accounting for about Sh10 billion worth of the total projects.
Apart from these projects, Ol Kalou is also benefitting from additional initiatives introduced during the campaigns for the by-election occasioned by the death of former MP David Kiaraho.
The race has attracted nine candidates, but the campaigns are largely dominated by UDA and former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua’s DCP candidates, Muchina Nyaga and Sammy Ngotho, respectively.
Ol Kalou by-election candidates Sammy Kamau Ngotho (left) of the Democracy for Citizens Party and Samuel Muchina Nyaga of the United Democratic Alliance.
Others in the race are Abdulahi Abdifatah Hussein (Federal Party of Kenya), Timothy Kamau Kariuki (People’s Renaissance Party), Edward Mathenge (Kenya Moja Movement), Rachael Wangui Njoroge (People’s Democratic Party), Stephen Wanyoike (National Liberal Party), and Edwin Kariiri Muchiri (Party of National Unity).
UDA is capitalising on Nyandarua’s historical underdevelopment, neglect, and abandonment by successive governments, urging residents to vote based on the county’s unique challenges rather than to please other counties in the Central Kenya Economic Bloc.
“We voted for the UDA government because we wanted development; our votes are still in the UDA government and we cannot withdraw them. That is why we must remain in government. We cannot vote to please neighbouring counties that already have universities, better-equipped technical training institutes, better roads, and schools. We have unique challenges as Nyandarua and Ol Kalou residents,” says Mr Muchina.
On the other hand, DCP is focusing its campaign on punishing President William Ruto and the UDA government for what it terms the betrayal of the Mt Kenya region through the impeachment of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
The party has coined slogans such as “Ol Kalou is not Mbeere” and “Reject traitors”, phrases directed at politicians allied to UDA. UDA won the Mbeere North by-elections last year, as well as Banisa and Malava while ODM, the ruling party’s partner in the broad-based government, won Ugunja, Kilifi South and Kasipul.
UDA also won Isiolo South MP seat in February this year.
In total, of the 28 by-elections, the broad-based government has scooped 22 seats.
Aggressive campaigns
On the other hand, in the November 2025 polls, DCP won in Kariobangi North, Narok Town and Kisa East wards in Kakamega County.
Both President Ruto and Mr Gachagua appear to have entrusted the Ol Kalou MP contest to their political foot soldiers. UDA has mounted aggressive campaigns backed by Cabinet Secretaries and party leaders from across the country, while DCP is drawing support from aspirants and political leaders across the Mt Kenya region.
Completion of the development projects would address decades-long complaints about Nyandarua’s neglect by successive governments since independence.
In the former Central Province, Nyandarua was the only county without a university and inherited little public infrastructure because, as a district, most government offices, including county and municipal council offices, were based in Nyahururu Town in neighbouring Laikipia County.
The county also lacks key social amenities such as sewerage systems and continues to suffer from a poor road network compared to other counties within the Central Kenya Economic Bloc.
These are the inequalities the national government says it is seeking to address through the multibillion development programmes.
According to a document from the office of Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service Felix Koskei, most of these projects were either ongoing or at the contract-award stage before the Ol Kalou by-election was announced.
Head of Public Service Felix Koskei.
For instance, Cabinet Secretaries led by Tourism and Wildlife CS Rebecca Miano have pitched camp in Ol Kalou and are rolling out youth and women empowerment initiatives beyond existing programmes such as Nyota and the Women Enterprise Fund.
Among the initiatives are widow empowerment programmes in Kanjuiri Ward, construction of a modern market in Mirangine, equipping of the Passenga Digital Hub, a Sh26 million women’s empowerment programme, and support for various women’s and youth groups. Most of these initiatives have been coordinated by Ms Miano, who has emerged as the face of the government’s campaign in Nyandarua.
Some projects initiated before the death of MP David Kiaraho have also seen their budget allocations more than double.
For example, funding for Nyandarua University has increased from Sh350 million to Sh1.3 billion.
The speed at which the projects are being implemented suggests that, once completed, Ol Kalou could transform into one of the wealthiest and most developed constituencies in the region.
County leaders and residents have for decades complained of marginalisation and neglect by successive national governments.
Aware of these concerns, former President Uhuru Kenyatta, while campaigning for his second term, declared that he would be “Governor Number One” for Nyandarua, deputised by then Governor Francis Kimemia.
The declaration was intended to assure residents of accelerated development through affirmative action funding and presidential interventions.
Although some progress was made, many residents felt the efforts fell short of expectations.
Among the mega projects currently under implementation by the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) are the Ol Kalou Nyayo Stadium and the JM Memorial Mashujaa Level Five Hospital. Although both projects appear on Mr Koskei’s list without specific allocations, KDF personnel are actively working on site.
The fancy looking main entrance of Ol Kalou Nyayo Stadium in Nyandarua county whose construction has stalled in this picture taken on April 7, 2023.
But Nyandarua Senator John Methu, however, sees politics behind the projects.
He argues that if the projects are genuine and not linked to the by-election, there is no reason for voters to elect the UDA candidate since development should continue regardless of the election outcome.
“If these projects are not meant to fool Nyandarua voters, then there is no need to elect the UDA candidate, Muchina Nyaga, because the development funds will still come even after the election,” says Senator Methu.
Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano, who is overseeing implementation of many of the projects, says additional funding was secured after intensive lobbying by local leaders.
“As Nyandarua leaders, we approached the President requesting additional funding. We cannot keep lamenting about marginalisation when we are in government and have direct access to the President and the entire government system. That is how we managed to reopen the railway line linking Nyahururu, Ol Kalou, Gilgil and Nairobi. It is now serving thousands of farmers, traders and other commuters,” says Ms Miano.
She assured residents that all national government projects would be completed on schedule, with more projects expected to commence during the current financial year.
“Residents should expect more projects. President Ruto has been on the ground and understands the unique challenges facing Nyandarua. He is aware of the county’s historical neglect and is committed to changing the county’s development trajectory. All flagship projects were back on track long before the death of the late MP Kiaraho. The government had already accelerated implementation of previously stalled projects. Railway revival, for instance, could not have happened within such a short period; it was part of earlier commitments already at various stages of implementation,” she says.
She adds that some of the projects were conceived and budgeted for immediately after the 2022 General Election. Some stalled along the way but have since resumed.
According to Ms Miano, Ol Kalou received the largest share of affordable housing projects because it is the county headquarters. Construction of 110 housing units have been completed and the units are ready for occupation, while an additional 450 units are under construction at a cost of Sh1.3 billion.
Ol Jororok Constituency has been allocated Sh1.2 billion for affordable housing, while Kinangop Constituency has received Sh477.7 million for a similar programme.
Construction of markets across the county has been allocated more than Sh1.5 billion, while irrigation projects have received Sh25 million.
According to the document from the Office of the Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service, roads account for the largest share of the Sh55 billion investment package.
The document indicates that under the Critical Rural Roads Development Programme (2022–2026), the national government is spending Sh22 billion in Nyandarua County.
Road projects with significant allocations include the Kirima–Ndinda–Kirima–Engineer roads and the Gilgil–Machinery Road (D390), each allocated Sh1.8 billion; the Captain–Ndemi–Wanjohi–Ndunyu Njeru road, allocated Sh3.4 billion; and the Boiman–Passenga–Sirunga–Gachwe–Kwa Mumbi (RWC 589) road.
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