Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) candidate Sammy Douglas Kamau Waweru has handed the party a major political victory in the Mt Kenya region after being declared the winner of the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election.
Kamau defeated his rivals by a wide margin in the by-election held on Thursday to fill the vacancy left by former MP David Kiaraho, who died in March. The contest was widely viewed as a test of political influence between DCP and the United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
Official results announced by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) on Friday show Waweru garnered 35,440 votes, comfortably ahead of United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidate Samuel Muchina Nyagah, who received 5,450 votes.
The remaining candidates finished with significantly lower vote counts. Wilson Mwaniki Kigwa of the Jubilee Party garnered 198 votes, Stephen Wanyoike Waithaka (the National Liberal Party) secured 103, Timothy Kamau Kariuki (the People’s Renaissance Movement) received 51, Edwin Kariiri Muchiri (the Party of National Unity) got 28, Abdifatah Hussein Abdullahi (the Federal Party of Kenya) received 19, Edward Mathenge Mwaniki (the Kenya Moja Movement) garnered 16, while Rachael Wangui Njoroge of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) received 11 votes.
Polling day, however, was overshadowed by violence after armed men travelling in unmarked vehicles allegedly attacked residents, journalists and political supporters. Police also fired tear gas at several polling stations to disperse crowds as tensions escalated, leaving a number of people injured.
The campaign period was also characterised by intense political activity, with leaders from both sides making frequent visits to the constituency. Allegations of cash handouts also emerged during the campaign, with rival camps accusing each other of attempting to influence voters.
The IEBC said the by-election recorded a 57 per cent voter turnout, with 41,656 ballots cast out of 73,480 registered voters.
Kamau’s victory was celebrated by DCP leader and former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, who hailed the result as a historic milestone for the party.
“Congratulations, Hon. Sammy Douglas Kamau Waweru. You have won by a resounding margin, reflecting the unmistakable voice of the people,” Gachagua said, adding that the victory would strengthen his political movement.
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