David Kipsang Keter, a three-time opponent of former Member of Parliament (MP) Johana Ng’eno, has won the Emurua Dikirr United Democratic Alliance (UDA) parliamentary party ticket after a nomination process in 96 polling stations.

Keter garnered 13,759 votes against, Bernard Kipkoech Ng’eno, the former MP’s personal assistant, who got 13,394 votes in a hotly contested poll in a constituency that is a political hotbed.

He was declared the winner at 8:45 pm on Friday, March 27, 2026.

UDA National Election Board Vice chairperson Veronica Chebet, who oversaw the tallying, confirmed the outcome of the poll at Emurua Dikirr Secondary School hall.

“The voting process has been smooth, free of any ugly incidences. The tallying is complete and the winner has emerged as Keter as per the wishes of the voters,” Chebet said.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has set May 14, 2026, as the election date in the constituency with 44,447 registered voters.

The by-election was necessitated by the death of area MP Johana Ng’eno in a helicopter crash at Chepkiyep village, Mosop Constituency in Nandi county on February 28, 2026.

The other candidates in the UDA nominations race ahead of the by-election were Kibet Rotich Farouk, Joseph Kiprono Koech and John Saitoti.

Keter’s victory in the UDA primary puts him in pole position to be the constituency’s second MP after it was created in 2013.

The late Ng’eno had been the area’s sole MP, having previously failed in a protracted battle to clinch what was then the larger Kilgoris seat in 2007.  The constituency would then be created a few years later in the run-up to the 2013 General Election. 

The Friday’s UDA nominations came amid claims of bribery, repeat voting, and voting by proxy at some of the 94 polling stations, most of which are primary and secondary schools.

A high number of voters arrived at the polling stations in the morning with long queues reported as the residents tried to avoid rains which for the past few days have been pounding the area late in the afternoon.

“The voter turnout is very impressive and speaks volumes of the grassroots support UDA enjoys in the region and across the country ahead of the next general election” UDA Secretary General Hassan Omar said at Soget Primary School polling station.

“The party does not have a preferred candidate in the nomination process and we have left the people of Emurua Dikirr constituency to make their independent choice on who their nominee will be.”