Narok 2027: Did Ole Kenta miscalculate by snubbing Gachagua’s DCP for Jubilee?
By Mabonga Makhanu, February 9, 2026Former Narok North MP Richard Moitalel Ole Kenta remains one of the most prominent political figures in Narok politics despite his narrow loss in the last gubernatorial race.
In the fiercely contested election, Ole Kenta, then vying on an Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) ticket, was defeated by incumbent Governor Patrick Ole Ntutu of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
Ntutu secured 160,094 votes against Ole Kenta’s 148,270, a margin of just over 12,000 votes, underscoring how competitive the race truly was.
However, as the 2027 general election approaches, a major political question continues to linger: did Ole Kenta make a strategic blunder by declining to run under the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) and instead aligning himself with the Jubilee Party?
Gachagua woes Ole Kenta
Following his 2022 defeat and a period of relative political silence, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua publicly extended an olive branch to Ole Kenta, inviting him to join DCP and even endorsing him as the party’s potential gubernatorial candidate for Narok in 2027.
During a tour of Narok County alongside united opposition leaders, Gachagua expressed confidence that a DCP ticket would give Ole Kenta a strong advantage in unseating Governor Ntutu.
Gachagua went further to claim that Ntutu’s 2022 victory was partly influenced by his own grassroots mobilisation within Narok, particularly among Mount Kenya communities residing in the county.
According to him, Ole Kenta’s loss was not necessarily due to weak support in Narok but rather the absence of Mount Kenya backing, something he suggested could change if Ole Kenta embraced DCP.
“Mnajua huyu Jamaa anaitwa Ole Kenta ni mwanamume si mwanamume, ni shupavu si shupavu, ile hasara watu wa Narok mmeenda ni kubwa. Mimi nataka mkikubali huyu Ole Kenta tumsaidie akuwe governor, akuje tisaididiane turudishe mashamba ya Wamasai,” Gachagua said.
Narok North Ward by-election
Despite these assurances and visible signs that DCP is gaining traction in Maa counties, evidenced by Douglas Masikonde’s victory over a UDA candidate in the Narok Town ward 2025 by-election, Ole Kenta declined the offer.
His recent move to the Jubilee Party, where he was appointed secretary general, replacing Jeremiah Kioni (now deputy party leader), has reignited debate within political circles.
Many analysts argue that challenging Ntutu under the DCP banner might have been a safer and more strategic choice for Ole Kenta. DCP has demonstrated growing influence in Narok and the surrounding Maa regions and is increasingly viewed as one of the major opposition parties.
Choosing Jubilee, a party perceived to have less grassroots presence in the region, could potentially give Ntutu an early advantage heading into 2027.
United Opposition factor
But Ole Kenta might still carry the day, because both the Jubilee Party and the DCP Party are children of the same house, the United Opposition; he might still enjoy the same advantages he could have enjoyed if he had joined DCP.
To add on, both DCP and Jubilee are ardently supported by Mt Kenya communities, and if he is backing on Agikuyu residing in Narok as a top-up, then he is still likely to be able to compete with Ntutu, who will be vying for his second term.
Ultimately, whether Ole Kenta’s decision proves to be a calculated masterstroke or a costly political miscalculation will only become clear as the 2027 race draws nearer. What is certain, however, is that his comeback bid would arguably have carried more weight if he could have used a DCP ticket than a Jubilee.