Tumechaguliwa, sasa twende kazi: Ruto sends message to Ol Kalou MP-elect after UDA defeat
By Mustafa Juma, July 17, 2026President William Ruto has broken his silence on the outcome of the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election, urging the newly elected Member of Parliament to shift focus from politics to service delivery, a day after the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) suffered a crushing defeat in the vote.
Speaking at State House, Nairobi, on Friday, July 17, while hosting a delegation of grassroots leaders from Bungoma County led by Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa, Ruto called on leaders across the political divide to reject tribal politics and concentrate on improving the lives of the people who elected them.
In what appeared to be his first direct public message to the Ol Kalou MP-elect following the by-election, Ruto said the election was now over, and it was time for leaders to get to work.
“Na msikubali watu ambao wanataka kutugawanya kwa misingi ya kikabila. Ndio maana mimi nauliza viongozi wote, hata yule mbunge amechaguliwa jana kule Ol Kalou, sasa tumechaguliwa, sasa twende kazi,” the President said.
He added that every elected leader would ultimately be judged by their record in office rather than political rhetoric.
“Kila kiongozi atahesabiwa kazi yake wakati ukifika. Wananchi wako na akili, wanajua kila kiongozi lazima uwe na track record, lazima uwe na maono, lazima uwe na mpango, ndio tushirikiane sisi wote tuhakikishe kwamba tunabadilisha taifa la Kenya. Ya muhimu ni kuhakikisha kwamba wale wametuchagua, maisha yao yamebadilika,” Ruto said.
UDA suffers major setback
Ruto’s remarks came barely a day after the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) declared Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) candidate Sammy Douglas Waweru Kamau the winner of the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election.
Official results released by the electoral commission showed Waweru garnered 35,440 votes, defeating UDA candidate Samuel Muchina Nyaga, who secured 5,450 votes in one of the most closely watched by-elections since the 2022 General Election.
The contest, occasioned by the death of former Ol Kalou MP David Kiaraho, attracted national attention after it evolved into a political showdown between President Ruto’s UDA and former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s DCP.
Senior Kenya Kwanza leaders, including Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, Cabinet Secretaries and Members of Parliament, campaigned extensively for the UDA candidate, while Gachagua personally led DCP’s campaigns.
Kindiki admits UDA must regroup
Following the loss, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki appeared to acknowledge the need for a political rethink within the ruling party.
In a brief statement shared on social media on Thursday, he wrote: “Back to the drawing board.”
Although he did not elaborate, the remark could be interpreted as an indication that UDA intends to reassess its strategy ahead of the 2027 General Election after losing a constituency widely viewed as a key political battleground.
Calls for unity
Without dwelling on the election outcome, President Ruto used Friday’s meeting to urge leaders to reject divisive politics, saying Kenya’s future depends on unity and development rather than ethnic mobilisation.
He maintained that voters are increasingly evaluating leaders based on their performance and their ability to improve livelihoods.
The President said elected leaders should work together regardless of political affiliation to ensure meaningful transformation across the country.
His remarks come as political activity intensifies ahead of the 2027 General Election, with parties already repositioning themselves following the Ol Kalou outcome, which has been described as an important test of political influence in the Mt Kenya region.
While DCP celebrated the victory as evidence of its growing support base, Ruto’s message suggested the ruling party is keen to move beyond the by-election and refocus attention on governance and development.