Ngunjiri faults Mataingi for backing a single opposition candidate in Ol Kalou by-election
By Mabonga Makhanu, June 3, 2026Former Nyeri Town MP Ngunjiri Wambugu has faulted Jubilee Party Deputy Leader Fred Matiang’i for backing the United Opposition’s plan to field a single candidate in the upcoming Ol Kalou by-election.
In a statement shared on his social media handles on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, the outspoken former legislator, who has been critical of various issues within the Jubilee Party, went full throttle against Matiang’i for supporting the arrangement.
Despite the United Opposition not having settled on the exact candidate who will fly its flag in the Ol Kalou by-election, Wambugu has already concluded that it will be the Rigathi Gachagua-led Democracy for Citizens (DCP) party that will be allowed to field the candidate.
He questioned what deal the former Interior Cabinet Secretary had struck for him to agree to cede Jubilee’s candidate in favour of DCP.
“Matiang’i had actually accepted to have Jubilee withdraw our Ol Kalou candidate in favour of Jofri’s candidate. One wonders what deal he has been offered by Jofri that would make him sacrifice our party like this,” he said.
Jubilee’s Ol Kalou preparedness
This comes at a time when Wambugu has been faulting his party over its approach to the Ol Kalou by-election.
He recently took issue with the party during the presentation of its candidate’s nomination papers to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), where some members of the Democracy for Citizens (DCP) party were spotted using the Jubilee sound caravan.
He questioned whether the party was truly serious about winning the Ol Kalou seat.
Wambugu also faulted the party leadership, saying he doubted whether they would even be present in the constituency to campaign for their candidate.
Kioni’s view
Jubilee Deputy Party Leader and former Ndaragwa MP Jeremiah Kioni, on the other hand, stated that he is not obsessed with the by-election. He argued that if DCP believes winning the seat and producing its first Member of Parliament would create significant political impact, then the party should be allowed to proceed with its candidate.
Single Ol Kalou candidate
Meanwhile, this comes after leaders of the United Opposition had earlier agreed to field a single candidate in the Ol Kalou by-election. Although they did not settle on the party that would field the candidate, they stated that they would use scientific opinion polling to identify the most popular aspirant.