Battle for Ng’eno’s seat: Inside UDA’s Emurua Dikirr nominations
By Emmanuel Rono, March 23, 2026As the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) gets ready for a high-stakes nomination in Emurua Dikirr, there is a fierce battle going on behind the scenes.
There are secret deals, shifting alliances, and a fierce race to capture the political base of the late MP Johana Ng’eno.
Ng’eno’s sudden death in February led to the by-election, which not only created a leadership gap but also disrupted a carefully constructed political network in the constituency.
Multiple aspirants have shown their interest in the ring, each attempting to consolidate support before voters head to the nominations scheduled for March 27, 2026.
Aspirants stepping down
In recent days, a number of aspirants have stepped down, throwing their weight behind a leading contender believed to have strong ties to Ng’eno’s inner circle.
Key allies of the former MP have come together and settled on one candidate, Bernard Ng’eno (Buluu), a former personal assistant to the late legislator, as their flag bearer.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has scheduled the Emurua Dikirr by-election for May 14, 2026, with 44,447 registered voters expected to cast their ballots across 94 polling stations. The commission estimates the exercise will cost Sh59 million.
Meanwhile, the race has begun to thin out after two candidates, Ezra Sawe, an employee of the Narok County Government, and Bernard Rono, a county administrator, formally withdrew from the contest.
Settling on one canndidate
Their decision followed a closed-door consultative meeting between the key figures in the constituency before settling on one candidate.
Ng’eno, during a recent media briefing at Bomet, said he was grateful for the support he received from the two key politicians who were close allies of the former MP.
According to Ng’eno, the people of Emurua Dikirr expect the team the late MP left behind to provide steady leadership and sustain ongoing development initiatives.
“We have a huge responsibility as people who were close to our former MP to bring his supporters together and ensure that the parliamentary seat is delivered so that we can complete the projects he started,” Ngeno said.
He added, “Our coming together as candidates is through a process driven by Emurua Dikirr constituents, who demanded that we pick one of us as a flag bearer in the nomination. The onus to carry the flag has fallen on my shoulders, and I appeal to our supporters to conduct house-to-house campaigns and ensure we deliver the seat.”
Elkerin Ward Member of the County Assembly Ezekiel Korir has thrown his weight behind the businessman, Keter, in the upcoming by-election, saying he has put his own political ambitions on hold for now.
Korir was also among the key politicians eying the seat, but he recently dropped out and supported Keter.
Mr Keter, who has twice lost to the late Ng’eno in previous general elections, expressed confidence in his bid, stating that he is now better positioned to win the seat and succeed him.
“I am confident that the people of Emurua Dikirr will entrust me with the mandate to serve as their MP, so that I can complete pending projects and initiate new ones,” Keter said.