OL KALOU, Nyandarua – Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) parliamentary candidate Sammy Douglas Kamau Waweru has praised the smooth conduct of the Ol Kalou by-election, commending the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) for efficiently managing the voting process as thousands of residents turned out to cast their ballots.
Speaking after voting on Thursday, Waweru described the exercise as orderly and largely hitch-free, saying the impressive voter turnout reflected the electorate’s commitment to choosing their next Member of Parliament.
“I am happy with the speed the IEBC is working with. The turnout is impressive. Just a few hitches,” Waweru said.
He acknowledged the heavy security deployment across the constituency but urged voters who had not yet cast their ballots to take advantage of the remaining time before polling stations close.
“The security is very tight. I am urging them to still come and vote. There is still a lot of time. Every vote counts and everyone must have a right to vote,” he said.
Projecting confidence in the outcome, the DCP flag bearer said his extensive campaign had positioned him for a decisive victory.
“I have done my campaign very well. The margins will be very wide,” he stated.
His remarks came as thousands of voters continued streaming into polling stations across Ol Kalou, with long queues reported from the early hours of the morning in what has emerged as one of the highest voter turnouts the constituency has witnessed in recent elections.
DCP Secretary General and Nyandarua Senator John Methu also expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the poll, saying the exercise had remained peaceful and orderly.
“The process so far is satisfying. We cannot say we have seen any major issue. In my history as a politician, this will be the largest voter turnout I have seen,” Methu said.
He encouraged residents yet to vote to do so early, noting that polling stations were processing voters quickly.
“I urge our people to come out and vote early. You will spend very little time here. The lines are moving very fast,” he said.
While describing the atmosphere as calm, Methu raised concerns over what he termed isolated incidents of voter bribery involving DCP’s political rivals and urged security agencies to remain vigilant throughout the day.
“The people are calm. There are incidents here and there of obvious bribery from the people we are competing with,” he said.
The senator also called on security officers deployed for election duty to remain identifiable, saying visible and professional policing would help maintain public confidence in the electoral process.
“The police officers are calm. Every policeman should be identifiable. We don’t want hooded police officers, and we hope it remains that way until evening,” he added.
Naivasha MP Jayne Kihara also lauded the smooth voting process despite the high turnout.
“It doesn’t look like a by-election. The queues are very long but are moving very fast. We just want the prevailing peace to continue until the evening,” she said.
The Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election was triggered by the death of former MP David Njuguna Kiaraho and has evolved into one of Kenya’s most closely watched political contests.
Widely seen as a battle between the DCP and the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA), the outcome is expected to provide a key indication of the political mood in the Mount Kenya region ahead of the 2027 General Election.