The sleepy town of Olkalou in Nyandarua County is shaping up to be the next major political battleground as President Ruto’s UDA and former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s DCP gear up for a fiercely contested by-election.
The contest is being watched far beyond Nyandarua’s borders. It is the first real electoral test between the two political heavyweights since Gachagua was impeached and went on to form his own party — and both sides are treating it as a referendum on who controls the Mt Kenya voting bloc.
Stakes Are High
For UDA, losing Olkalou would be a devastating signal that Ruto’s grip on Mt Kenya is slipping — a region that played a decisive role in delivering his 2022 victory. The party has been deploying senior officials to the ground, including Interior PS Raymond Omollo, who has been pushing a massive voter registration drive across the wider Nyanza region.
For Gachagua’s DCP, a win would validate his political brand and prove that his falling out with Ruto has not diminished his influence in the region. The former DP has been crafting a strategy to outmanoeuvre Ruto in Mt Kenya political battles, according to People Daily, banking on grassroots mobilisation and local grievances over the economy.
Bigger Battle for Mt Kenya
The Olkalou contest is just one piece of a much larger puzzle. Gachagua has been building alliances across the region, positioning DCP as the party of Mt Kenya’s interests. Meanwhile, Murang’a Senator Irungu Kang’ata has also made waves by appearing to throw one leg into the opposition camp — a sign that the political realignment ahead of 2027 is already underway.
The by-election will also test whether the government’s development messaging resonates with voters grappling with high living costs, or whether Gachagua’s populist pitch gains traction.
What to Watch
Campaign rhetoric has intensified in recent weeks, with both sides trading accusations over voter manipulation and intimidation. The by-election date is yet to be formally announced by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, but political machines on both sides are already in full campaign mode.
How Olkalou votes could set the tone for Mt Kenya politics heading into 2027 — and potentially reshape Kenya’s political landscape.
