OL KALOU, Nyandarua- Polls have opened across Ol Kalou Constituency as voters head to the ballot in one of Kenya’s most closely watched parliamentary by-elections, with the outcome expected to test political influence in the Mount Kenya region ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Voting began at polling stations across the constituency under the supervision of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), which has said it completed the distribution of election materials and deployed officials ahead of the exercise. The commission had also concluded final planning meetings and logistical preparations before polling day.
The by-election was called following the death of Ol Kalou MP David Njuguna Kiaraho in March this year, ending his more than a decade-long representation of the constituency in the National Assembly.
The race has attracted intense national attention after weeks of bruising campaigns dominated by senior political leaders from both the Kenya Kwanza administration and the opposition.
The campaign period, which officially ended 48 hours before polling day in line with IEBC regulations, was characterised by allegations of voter bribery, violence, hate speech and misuse of state resources, with rival camps accusing each other of attempting to influence the outcome unfairly.
Ol Kalou has become a political battleground due to its strategic location in Nyandarua County and the broader Mount Kenya voting bloc, a region expected to play a decisive role in the 2027 presidential election.
Political analysts have described the contest as a referendum on the popularity of both President William Ruto’s administration and the emerging opposition alliance seeking to make inroads into one of the President’s traditional support bases.
Government leaders mounted an aggressive campaign in the constituency, while opposition figures also held a series of rallies in a bid to sway voters.
The IEBC has urged voters to cast their ballots peacefully and allow electoral officials to conduct the exercise without interference. Security agencies also heightened surveillance across the constituency to ensure voting proceeds smoothly.
Voting is expected to continue until 5 p.m., after which counting will begin at individual polling stations before constituency tallying commences.
The winner will become the new Member of Parliament for Ol Kalou, filling the vacancy left by Kiaraho’s death and potentially reshaping the political narrative in the Mount Kenya region.