The Lower Eastern Times Opening The Third Eye
Related Articles
UDA candidate David Keter, popularly known as Dollarline, has emerged victorious in the fiercely contested Emurua Dikirr parliamentary by-election.
Keter garnered 18,266 votes to beat his closest rival, Vincent Kibet Rotich of the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP), who received 10,760 votes in an election that drew nationwide political interest.
Click here to join our WhatsApp Channel
National Vision Party (NVP) candidate Gideon Koech, a lawyer based in Bomet, finished third with 190 votes.
PNU’s Desma Cherono secured 80 votes, while Kipronoh Rotich of the Revolutionary Labour Party (RLP) managed 62 votes.
Returning Officer Caleb Gikonde announced the final results on Thursday night at the Emurua Dikirr Technical Training Institute tallying centre after vote counting from all 94 polling stations was completed.
Speaking after his win, Keter expressed gratitude to the residents for their overwhelming support and confidence in his leadership.
“I sincerely thank the people of Emurua Dikirr for electing me. I will represent and serve every resident equally, regardless of political affiliation,” Keter stated.
The MP-elect promised to foster unity within the constituency and collaborate with leaders from different political camps to push development initiatives.
He also praised the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), security officers, and election officials for ensuring a peaceful and credible electoral process.
The by-election had attracted intense political attention, with many viewing it as a showdown between President William Ruto’s UDA party and the DCP party associated with former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
Political observers noted that President Ruto was keen on consolidating his influence in the Rift Valley, while Gachagua aimed to gain political footing in the region by tapping into dissatisfaction over unmet promises.
The Emurua Dikirr parliamentary seat became vacant after the death of area MP Johana Ng’eno, who died alongside five others in a helicopter crash at Chepkiep village in Mosop, Nandi County, on February 28, 2026.
Ng’eno, who had served the constituency since 2013, was in his third term as MP under the UDA party at the time of his death.
His passing prompted the constitutional process to fill the vacant National Assembly seat.
After consultations with electoral stakeholders, the IEBC scheduled the by-election for May 14, 2026, to allow voters to elect a new representative to complete the remainder of Ng’eno’s term in the 13th Parliament.
The announcement triggered heightened political campaigns, with major political parties quickly fielding candidates in what became one of the country’s most closely followed by-elections.
The campaigns were characterised by intense political mobilisation as candidates fought to inherit the support base and influence previously held by the late MP.
The mini-poll was also interpreted as a reflection of changing political dynamics and loyalties in the politically significant Narok County constituency.
