With eight days to the July 16 Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election, residents are witnessing what is shaping up to be one of the most expensive political contests in Nyandarua's history, as the leading contenders roll out an aggressive mix of cash handouts, gifts, voter mobilisation and development projects in a bid to win support.
The contest is largely between the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP), with both camps investing heavily in campaigns.
The seat fell vacant following the death of Jubilee MP Njuguna Kiaraho on March 29, 2026
The contestants are DCP candidate Kamau Ngotho, UDA’s Muchina Nyaga and Jubilee Party's Wilson Kigwa, Rachel Wangui of the People's Democratic Party, Mathenge Mwaniki of the Kenya Moja Movement and Abdifatah Hussein of the Federal Party of Kenya.
Sammy Kamau Ngotho, winner of the Ol Kalou parliamentary party primaries for the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) at the party headquarters in Nairobi on May 12, 2026.
Photo credit: Bonface Bogita | Nation Media Group
Also in the race is Timothy Kamau who is running on the People's Renaissance Party ticket, Stephen Wanyoike of the National Liberal Party and Edwin Muchiri of the Party of National Unity.
UDA appears to enjoy a significant advantage, with campaign activities running alongside government development launches and public programmes.
In DCP’s camp, Nyandarua Senator John Methu's Mugumo home has become the party's campaign command centre. Every morning, various interest groups converge at the residence before campaign teams fan out across the constituency.
According to insiders, those in attendance are served breakfast before receiving what organisers describe as "coordination facilitation" of between Sh500 and Sh1,000.
On Wednesday, DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua asked voters not to be swayed by government projects.
“Let the cowardly regime deliver even speed boats, transformers, bullet trains, water tanks, milk and potato coolers, and all that has not been delivered to Olkalou since 1963. It is time… do not give away your voting right. You have so far done very well in resisting goodies and cash to sway you. Don’t be deceived at the last minute,” Mr Gachagua said.
UDA's mobilisation structure, however, is far more elaborate.
The ruling party has established multiple campaign teams targeting different voting blocs with each category receiving varying levels of facilitation.
Samuel Muchina Nyaga displays his provisional certificate of nomination after he was declared the winner in the Ol Kalou UDA nominations on May 8, 2026.
Photo credit: Boniface Mwangi | Nation Media Group
Some mobilisation teams are reportedly transported to neighbouring towns, including Gilgil, for strategy meetings and coordination sessions, with participants receiving between Sh1,000 and Sh2,000 each.
With its extensive campaign machinery and involvement of elected leaders and government officials, UDA is estimated to hold an average of six organised meetings daily.
Beyond public rallies, the party has also intensified engagement with religious leaders through forums presented as civic education and peace sensitisation meetings targeting the clergy, church elders and influential worshippers.
A member of the clergy familiar with the programme claimed that church-based meetings offer the highest facilitation while attracting a carefully selected audience.
“The church events are coordinated through the Office of the President. The facilitation depends on the level of the meeting. County-level forums attract about Sh5,000 while grassroots meetings pay around Sh3,000. That excludes payments made to host churches and senior clergy coordinating mobilisation," the cleric said.
According to sources involved in the campaigns, most of the closed-door meetings attract around 500 participants who are facilitated with between Sh1,000 and Sh2,000, depending on the venue and nature of the meeting.
Mobilisers are reportedly paid between Sh5,000 and Sh10,000 and are also tasked with crowd mobilisation, security coordination and gathering political intelligence.
Based on six meetings daily, each attracting about 500 participants receiving an average of Sh1,000, UDA could be spending more than Sh3 million a day on closed-door meetings alone.
The estimate excludes transport costs, hotel accommodation, meals and other logistical expenses, as well as payments made after public rallies.
Following many public meetings, attendees reportedly assemble in groups of 10, a practice popularly referred to as "ikumi ikumi" to receive between Sh300 and Sh500 each. Most of the rallies attract more than 2,000 people.
The guaranteed handouts have created an unusual side hustle for some young people. Groups of youths have begun hiring boda bodas to shuttle between campaign events throughout the day to maximise the number of meetings they attend.
The sight of speeding motorcycles moving from one rally to another has become commonplace as riders race to arrive before disbursement begins.
Ol Kalou by-election candidates Sammy Kamau Ngotho (left) of the Democracy for Citizens Party and Samuel Muchina Nyaga of the United Democratic Alliance.
Photo credit: Bonface Bogita and Boniface Mwangi | Nation Media Group
“The youths form groups of three or four and hire one motorcycle for the day. They pay about Sh3,000 to hire the bike and also cater for fuel. It's better business than waiting for passengers in town because we can cover more than five meetings in a day. Each member of the team walks away with between Sh2,500 and Sh4,000," said James Kanja, a boda boda rider.
His motorcycle is hired by three youths each contributing Sh1,000 for the day's transport, in addition to about Sh200 each for fuel.
Another rider, Robert Kiambati, said young people closely monitor campaign schedules to identify meetings where facilitation is believed to be highest.
“Meetings attended by Cabinet Secretaries are also popular. Principal Secretaries generally don't facilitate as much,” he said.
Alongside campaign mobilisation, the government has intensified development activities across the constituency.
Residents have witnessed the launch, commissioning or inspection of projects worth billions of shillings, alongside the distribution of various items to households and community groups.
Among the latest donations are 20,000 LPG cylinders, mattresses, food supplies, water pipes and two boats valued at Sh5 million for Gwa Kiongo Dam in Mirangine donated by Blue Economy and Fisheries Principal Secretary Betsy Muthoni.
Some elderly women struggled to wear shoes distributed during one event because they were too large, eventually carrying them home instead.
They nevertheless received transport reimbursement of Sh500, together with beans, rice, sugar, cooking fat and salt.
On Wednesday, the ICT Authority distributed digital learning devices to junior secondary schools during an event at Ol Kalou Junior School officiated by ICT Principal Secretary John Tanui.
At the same time, Woman Representative Faith Gitau led campaign rallies during which water pipes were distributed to residents.
Several Cabinet Secretaries and Principal Secretaries have also made repeated visits to the constituency.
Lands Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome opened the Ol Kalou Lands Office, issued more than 2,500 title deeds to beneficiaries and later launched the Sh1.5 billion Nyandarua University project.
She also launched the Ol Kalou Affordable Housing project and commissioned construction of Mirangine Modern Market.
ICT Cabinet Secretary William Kabogo commissioned two digital hubs in Passenga and Mirangine markets.
Government officials, led by Energy Principal Secretary Alex Wachira, pose for a group photo with some residents of Ol Kalou who were presented with six-kilogram gas cylinders each on July 7, 2026.
Photo credit: Boniface Mwangi | Nation Media Group
Meanwhile, Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano presided over the revival of the Nairobi-Gilgil-Ol Kalou-Nyahururu railway line after nearly five decades of dormancy.
She later accompanied Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir during the launch of construction of the 37-kilometre Ithangani-Ngorika-Kanyiriri road.
Energy Principal Secretary Alex Wachira also announced a Sh250 million rural electrification programme while launching the project at Minyore village.
The by-election has equally become a testing ground for DCP aspirants positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Several aspiring governors, MPs and MCAs have camped in Ol Kalou to campaign for the party's candidate, Kamau Ngotho.
Leshau Pondo MCA Gathungu Kamau, who intends to contest the Ndaragwa Parliamentary seat in 2027, said DCP aspirants from across the country were financing their own participation.
“All DCP aspirants are flooding Ol Kalou. They are self-sponsored and are running door-to-door campaigns alongside other mobilisation efforts,” he said.
Nderi Ndiani, who is seeking the Nyandarua governorship in 2027, echoed the remarks, saying dozens of aspirants had voluntarily joined the campaign and were funding their own activities.
The other candidates in the race are Abdulahi Abdifatah Hussein (Federal Party of Kenya), Timothy Kariuki Kamau (People's Renaissance Party), Edward Mathenge (Kenya Moja Movement), Rachael Wangui Njoroge (People's Democratic Party), Stephen Wanyoike (National Liberal Party), Wilson Kigwa and Edwin Kariiri Muchiri (Party of National Unity).
According to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Ol Kalou Returning Officer Anthony Njiraini, 73,480 registered voters will be eligible to cast their ballots in the July 16 by-election.
The Elections Offences Act section 9 makes it an offence for one to give someone a bribe so they vote for a particular party or candidate, or fail to vote for a particular party or candidate.
The responsibility not to take bribes goes both ways. A person who receives a bribe to vote or not vote for a particular party or candidate also commits the offence of bribery. The stipulated penalty for engaging in the offence is a fine not exceeding Sh2 million, an imprisonment not exceeding six years or both.
Further, the IEBC code of conduct allows the commission to charge a fine against a political party or candidate who engages in malpractice.
