Emurua Dikirr: Why DCP has created an unexpected wave in UDA stronghold
By Emmanuel Rono, May 13, 2026During the Emurua Dikir by-election campaigns, something has become noticeable as the constituency heads into the by-election scheduled for Thursday, May 14, 2026.
The political temperature is rising sharply, with the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) candidate emerging as a surprising force in what has long been considered a United Democratic Alliance (UDA) stronghold.
The constituency, which has backed UDA since the 2022 General Election, is now witnessing a shift in political mood as the DCP candidate gains traction across key wards, drawing large crowds at campaign rallies and energising sections of voters who previously leaned toward the ruling party.
Two key figures to watch
The campaign ahead of the May 14, 2026 polls was boosted by heightened political activity from former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, whose recent political messaging resonated with sections of voters questioning the government’s performance in the region.
On one side, President Ruto has thrown his weight behind UDA candidate David Keter, popularly known on the campaign trail as “Dollarline.”
On the other hand, his estranged former deputy, Rigathi Gachagua, has positioned the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) as a disruptive force, fielding Rotich in what many now view as a test of influence between former allies ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Rise of DCP flag bearer Vincent Rotich
Emurua Dikirr campaigns have attracted public attention after DCP candidate Vincent Rotich pulled crowds that many did not expect, due to the area being considered a UDA zone.
During his campaigns in the region, the DCP flag bearer could attend an overnight campaign locally referred to by residents as ‘preps’, drawing thousands of residents for his night political rallies.
Kericho Senator Aaron Cheruiyot has come out to take a swipe at the DCP’s showdown. He stated that the area tends to align with rowdy, rally-driven politics, saying that this is the reason they appear to have embraced the DCP party.
“For Emurua Dikirr, these are people who, for a long time, are used to that kind of politics, like a firebrand kind of politics. Even in the times of the late MP, if you check how the numbers used to be, they were always a close margin, even when he was in a popular party,” Cheruiyot said.
Understanding Dikirr polls
Vincent Rotich, a former chief and ex-Mogondo ward MCA, has positioned himself not just as a candidate but as a symbol of defiance.
Marketed by Gachagua as “the people’s choice,” Rotich has tapped into long-standing frustrations over poor roads, stalled water projects, and what residents describe as systemic neglect despite Emurua Dikirr’s proximity to the lucrative Maasai Mara ecosystem.
The constituency since the 2013 Kenyan General Elections, the late Ngeno represented the constituency in the Kenyan National Assembly, through the Kenya National Congress in 2013, the Kenya African National Union in 2017 and the United Democratic Alliance in 2022.
The party choice, despite the existence of ‘the party in power,’ made the people of Emurua Dikirr decide on their leader, not because they are aligned to a particular party.