DCP youth leader questions Ichung’wah’s absence from Ol Kalou by-election campaigns
By Mabonga Makhanu, July 10, 2026DCP Youth League leader Wanjiku Thiga has questioned the silence of National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah over the upcoming Ol Kalou by-election, wondering why one of the government’s fiercest defenders has not stepped into the constituency to campaign for United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidate Samuel Muchina.
In a statement shared on her social media pages on Friday, July 10, 2026, Thiga took a swipe at Ichung’wah, claiming he had deliberately stayed away from the constituency because his presence would hurt UDA’s chances in the mini-poll.
In what appears to be political banter, the young politician stated that President William Ruto appears to have instructed the Kikuyu MP not to campaign in Ol Kalou, claiming that his involvement would further erode the ruling party’s support in the constituency.
“Kimani Ichung’wah has been told by the president not to set foot in Ol Kalou. If he does, UDA’s 7% support will reduce to 3%. Walai!” Thiga claimed.
This comes at a time when the parliamentary by-election, which is slated to take place on July 16, is now much more than a contest to replace the late MP David Kiaraho.
The conflict is now emerging as the biggest political clash between President William Ruto and his former deputy, Rigathi Gachagua, whose outcome is likely to determine the power dynamics in Mount Kenya ahead of the 2027 general election.
President Ruto would save the seat by keeping UDA’s candidate, thus affirming his continued dominance over the region, which was the big winner in the 2022 elections.
The ruling party has deployed cabinet secretaries, principal secretaries and high-ranking government officials to campaign in the area and has unveiled development projects worth billions of shillings in the constituency, highlighting the value it gives to the race.
Gachagua’s biggest test comes now.
With the opposition candidate, Gachagua of the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP), clinching the support of his party in the by-election, the event offers him a chance to demonstrate his political mobilisation capabilities as the most influential player in the region, even after his differences with President Ruto.
The ex-Deputy President has been saying Kenyans’ loyalty to the Kenya Kwanza government has waned in Mount Kenya. If the opposition wins at Ol Kalou, it will enhance that story and give them a head start towards the 2027 elections.
More than a Parliamentary seat
When it comes to politics, Ol Kalou has become a referendum on the current Mount Kenya vote winners.
The by-election has drawn the nation’s attention, with both sides viewing it as a symbolic contest rather than a typical parliamentary election. The ground-level tensions and increased campaigning are evidence of the importance of the stakes.
Ruto’s supporters say that an eventual win would prove to the world the government’s continued popularity in the region. Some of his allies have even said that a UDA victory would mean the president would have a strong chance of winning a firm chunk of the Mount Kenya votes in 2027.