The Lower Eastern Times Opening The Third Eye
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With the July 16, 2026 parliamentary by-election fast approaching, Ol Kalou Constituency in Nyandarua County has become the centre of an intense political contest marked by high-profile campaigns, government projects and allegations of voter inducement.
The usually quiet farming constituency has seen an influx of politicians, Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries and other senior government officials, with residents receiving various items ranging from cash to government-branded mattresses, LPG gas cylinders and other donations as campaigns gather momentum.
The controversy escalated after Nakuru East MP David Gikaria publicly disclosed details of his campaign spending during a rally on July 7, saying he had spent Sh1.2 million in a single day while insisting no one had been turned away from the meeting.
Gikaria also defended his team’s practice of requesting voters’ national identity cards, explaining that the IDs were only being used to confirm whether beneficiaries were registered at polling stations assigned to his campaign team.
According to the legislator, he had been allocated specific polling stations to coordinate and was overseeing daily campaign activities funded with Sh250,000 earmarked for those areas. He denied claims that the collection of IDs was intended to interfere with the electoral process.
His remarks quickly sparked criticism on social media, with many Kenyans interpreting them as an admission of voter bribery and questioning why millions of shillings were being distributed during campaign events.
The debate intensified after government ministries, led by Cabinet Secretaries and Principal Secretaries, distributed government-branded mattresses and new cooking gas cylinders to residents. Photos and videos circulating online showed long queues of beneficiaries collecting the items.
Former Deputy President and Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua, whose party has also fielded a candidate in the race, accused government campaigners of asking residents to surrender their identity cards in exchange for the free items.
In a statement posted on X, Gachagua alleged the exercise was designed to prevent eligible voters from participating in the by-election and urged residents not to hand over their national identity cards, stressing that the documents would be required for voting.
He nevertheless encouraged residents to accept development projects and donations being offered, provided they did not exchange their constitutional right to vote.
The by-election was triggered by the death of longtime Ol Kalou MP David Njuguna Kiaraho earlier this year, setting off one of the most competitive constituency campaigns in recent years.
Political analysts say the constituency has become a key battleground as the government seeks to strengthen its influence in the Central Kenya region while facing a strong challenge from Gachagua’s political camp.
Unlike previous by-elections in constituencies such as Emurua Dikir, Malava and Mbeere North, Ol Kalou has witnessed an unprecedented wave of political activity, with numerous senior government officials making repeated visits alongside the rollout of several development projects.
Among the projects launched or accelerated in recent months are the revival of the Nyahururu railway line, the upgrading of the Engineer–Ol Kalou–Nyahururu road, rehabilitation of roads within Ol Kalou town, expansion of the Last Mile Electricity Connectivity Programme and the establishment of three Digital Hubs.
The timing of the projects has drawn criticism from opposition leaders and political observers, who argue that many had stalled for years before suddenly gaining momentum following the announcement of the by-election.
Observers say the election has evolved into a test of whether recent government development initiatives and campaign donations will influence voting patterns, or whether residents will cast their ballots based on broader political considerations.
