It is over, Mr President: Gachagua tells Ruto after Ol Kalou UDA defeat
By Ndiritu Wanjiru, July 17, 2026Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has declared that President William Ruto’s political fate has been sealed following the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) defeat in the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election, saying the outcome reflects the growing public dissatisfaction with the Kenya Kwanza administration.
Speaking in a press briefing in Nyahururu on Friday, July 17, 2026, after the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) candidate Sammy Douglas Kamau Waweru won the seat by a landslide, Gachagua argued that the by-election was more than a local contest, describing it as a national referendum on President Ruto’s leadership.
Addressing supporters, Gachagua said that the message from Ol Kalou mirrored sentiments he has encountered while engaging with Kenyans across the country.
“I’m a leader who listens to the ground. I listen to the people. From what I have heard, I would like to contextualise what happened in Ol Kalou in the greater conversation of the Republic of Kenya. All over this country, people have told us they are done with William Ruto. It is finished; it is over, Mr President,” Gachagua said.
The former DP has asserted that the electorate has resolved not to re-elect President Ruto, arguing that the Ol Kalou outcome was evidence of shifting political tides ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Raises concerns over the 2027 election
Gachagua further stated that although Kenyans believe President Ruto can be defeated at the ballot, many are worried about the integrity of the next general election.
According to the former deputy president, the concern among voters is not whether the president can lose but whether the election results would be respected.
“The people are resolute that they will not vote for this rogue administration again. But they have one fear. Their fear is not that he’ll win; they know he can lose. They fear that when William Ruto loses, he will refuse to accept it and steal the election. He’ll use stolen money he is accumulating and the capacity for violence he is building up to take victory by force,” Gachagua added.
Political signals?
The Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election ended in a decisive victory for DCP candidate Sammy Douglas Kamau Waweru, who garnered 35,440 votes to defeat UDA’s Samuel Muchina, who received 5,450 votes.
The contest attracted intense national attention, with senior leaders from both the government and the opposition heavily campaigning in the constituency, turning the race into a symbolic test of political strength.
Following the outcome, opposition leaders have portrayed the result as a sign of waning support for the Kenya Kwanza administration, while government leaders have maintained that it was a constituency-specific election and not a reflection of the national political landscape.