The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party nomination for the Emurua Dikirr parliamentary seat to replace Johana Ng’eno was delayed for several hours in several polling stations due to late delivery of gadgets.
But a high voter turnout was registered in all the stations across the four civic wards – Ololmasani, Kapsasian, Elkerin and Mogondo.
From the campaigns, it appeared the race was a close one between Mr Ng’eno’s former personal assistant, Mr Bernard Ng’eno (alias arap Buluu) and Mr David Keter (alias Dollarline) a three-time aspirant who has been closing the gap with the late MP since 2013.
While Mr Ngeno, a youth, is banking on the political base of his former boss, the youth and women, Mr Keter has sought to solidify his long term base to pull a surprise on his opponents.
United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party candidates in the Emurua Dikirr Constituency nominations David Keter (left) and Kibet Rotich Farouk wait for the results to be announced at Emurua Dikirr Secondary School on March 27, 2026.
Photo credit: Vitalis Kimutai | Nation Media Group
The other candidates are Mr Kibet Rotich Farouk, a youth leader, Joseph Kiprono Koech (an accountant) and John Saitoti.
The UDA nominations came amidst claims of voter bribery, repeat voting and voting by proxy in some of the 94 polling stations, most of which are primary and secondary schools.
A high number of voters arrived at the polling stations in the morning with long queues reported as the residents tried to avoid rains which for the past few days have been pounding the area late in the afternoon.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has set May 14 as the election date in the constituency with 44,447 registered voters.
The impending by-election was necessitated by the death of area Member of Parliament Johana Ng’eno in a helicopter crash at Chepkiyep village, Mosop constituency of Nandi County on February 28.
Mr Ng’eno died alongside – George Were (pilot), Nick Kosgei (photojournalist), Amos Kipngetich Rotich (an officer with the Kenya Forests Service), Carlos Kibet Keter (teacher), and Wycliff Kiprotich Rono (a protocol officer at the Narok county government).
Mr Hassan Omar, the UDA Secretary General, National Election Board (NEB) chairman Anthony Mwaura and his vice chairperson Veronicah Chebet and party Treasurer Japheth Nyakundi (Kitutu Chache North MP) toured the polling stations to address the emerging issues as voters cast their votes.
“The voter turnout is very impressive and speaks volumes of the grassroots support UDA enjoys in the region and across the country ahead of the next general election” Mr Omar said in a press briefing at Soget primary school polling station.
“The party does not have a preferred candidate in the nomination process and we have left the people of Emurua Dikirr constituency to make their independent choice on who their nominee will be,” Mr Omar said.
Mr Omar and Mr Mwaura expressed confidence that the UDA candidate who will be picked by the residents in the nomination will carry the day in the May 14, by election.
They said the challenges that arose in the morning including late delivery of electronic gadgets to polling stations had been addressed and the exercise proceeded as planned.
“In the areas that experienced late delivery of voting gadgets, the party will extend the voting timelines so as to ensure no one is locked out” Mr Mwaura said.
Voters queue at Soget Primary School polling station in Emurua Dikirr Constituency during the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party nominations on March 27, 2026.
Photo credit: Vitalis Kimutai | Nation Media Group
Voting started in some stations as late as 11am while in other regions it kicked off at 8am in a constituency where five candidates are seeking to succeed the late Ng’eno as the second Member of Parliament.
“There are reported cases of voter bribery at Ololmasani and Elkerin civic wards and cases of multiple voting by some voters in a number of stations which we have reported to the party and we are confident it will be addressed” Mr Ng’eno said.
Mr Ng’eno however said that the high voter turnout was impressive adding that despite the emerging challenges, he was confident of emerging the winner in the nomination.
Bernard Ngeno (centre) speaks to the media in Bomet on on March 21, 2026 after Ezra Sawe and Bernard Rono stepped down in his favour.
Photo credit: Vitalis Kimutai | Nation Media Group
“It is time for the youth that I represent to take leadership mantle with the blessing of the elderly so we can progress development agenda left by our former MP who was my friend, my boss and my leader” Mr Ng’eno said,
On the other hand, David Keter, a businessman who repeatedly lost to the late Ng’eno in the three successive elections said he had done enough ground work to enable him win in the nomination.
“I am confident the voters will back me for the position as they need a mature leader to take the mantle” Mr Keter said.
Farouk on his part said “I am confident that the UDA party will deliver a free, fair and transparent nomination exercise that will be acceptable to all the candidates and party supporters. We believe that the digital voting platform would not be manipulated.”
Initially, there were 12 candidates in the race, but the others have still stepped down and backed some of the candidates who would have been their opponents in the contest that has been shaping up in the last three weeks.
Ms Nayianoi Ng’eno, the widow of the former MP, was the second to back down, after Mr Bernard Rono, an administrator at the Narok County government and a cousin of the legislator (late Ng’eno) withdrew from the race.
Mr Rono has backed Mr Bernard Ng’eno (Arap Buluu), a former Personal Assistant to the former MP, in the hotly contested UDA party ticket.
Mr Ezekiel Sawe, an employee of the Narok county government had also stepped down in favour of Mr Ng’eno last week as the race tightens with a few hours to the candidate with majority of the votes being unveiled after the Friday UD party nomination exercise.
On Wednesday, Mr Robert Kipkoech Leguta who had also been picked as a flag bearer by the family of the late MP stepped down and rallied behind Mr Ng’eno, a beneficiary of most of the defections that have been realized in the constituency as the political scenario unfolds.
It is expected that by Friday night, the party’s flag bearer will have been known as the May 14 by election draws closer.
