Kioni: If DCP thinks Ol Kalou win will have impact, they should proceed
By Mabonga Makhanu, May 29, 2026Former Ndaragwa MP Jeremiah Kioni has expressed the possibility of the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) creating an impact in the political scene should it win the upcoming Ol Kalou by-election seat.
Speaking during an interview on a podcast, the former Ndaragwa MP stated that if DCP believes winning the Ol Kalou by-election and producing its first-ever Member of Parliament under the party banner could have a political impact, then they should be allowed to pursue it.
“If the DCP party thinks that by winning the Ol Kalou by-election and having the first-ever MP elected to the party, they will have an impact, maybe they should be allowed to proceed with it,” he said.
Kioni, however, maintained that in his view, by-elections rarely have a major influence on the outcome of general elections.
He continued, stating that as a deputy party leader, he would not waste much of his time on by-elections since they have little or no effect on general elections.
He took a swipe at the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), which in past by-elections has managed to scoop several elective seats, but according to him, this has failed to shape the voting direction ahead of 2027, as many Kenyans still want the party out.
He further stated that conducting by-elections under the current regime means very little since none of the opposition parties has the financial muscle to match the government.
According to him, the government is always ready to splash huge amounts of money during campaigns, something opposition parties are not prepared to do.
Ol-Kalou byelection
This comes days after the presentation of papers by Ol Kalou by-election candidates, where the DCP party attracted huge crowds, dwarfing their counterparts in the opposition, including the Jubilee Party.
At one point, the Jubilee sound caravan was seen with DCP party supporters who were themselves hyping up the crowd and outnumbering Jubilee supporters within their own convoy, a development that has stirred the political scene.
The development has caused uproar among some party members, including former Nyeri Town MP Ngunjiri Wambugu, who has questioned the party’s seriousness in its approach to the by-election.
He wondered whether the party leadership would step into Ol Kalou to campaign for their candidate.
DCP-ol kalou preparedness
The DCP party, on the other hand, has expressed confidence in its candidate winning the Ol Kalou seat, saying they have already won and are now working on increasing the victory margin.
DCP party leader and former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has also acknowledged that should the party win the Ol Kalou seat, it would send a huge message within political circles and help build momentum ahead of the 2027 general election.
He designated acting party secretary general John Methu and Kipipiri MP Wanjiku Muhia to spearhead Samuel Kamau Ngotho’s campaign and ensure they deliver the seat to the party.