UDA vs DCP: How Ruto has deployed govt heavyweights to battle Gachagua in Ol Kalou
By Ndiritu Wanjiru, June 12, 2026The campaign for the Ol Kalou by-election has become more national as President William Ruto is visibly seen to use high-ranking officials and close allies to boost the support of the candidate for the ruling party, the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), Samwel Muchina, in a bid to counter the Democratic Change Party (DCP), which is momentarily gaining ground in the Mount Kenya region.
In the wake of the by-elections slated for July 16, 2026, top government personalities have joined the campaign in Nyandarua County, with Tourism Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano, State House digital strategist Dennis Itumbi and former Public Service Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria, among others, alongside local leaders such as Kinangop Member of Parliament Kwenya Thuku and Nyandarua Woman representative Faith Gitau.
The move is part of a larger strategy by the Kenya Kwanza government to strengthen its political muscle in the vote-rich Mount Kenya area, where DCP has been making headway and mobilising opposition support bases in the region.
Ruto’s development strategy
One of the salient points of the UDA campaign has been the constant stress on the development projects that are in progress and promises for voters in Ol Kalou.
The projects being touted as a highlight include the long-delayed revival of the Ol Kalou Stadium, which officials now believe will be finished as a result of the current government’s renewed efforts to woo voters to support the UDA candidate.
The government side has also stepped up messaging on the planned revival of a railway line from Nairobi to Nyahururu, with many viewing this as another way to woo voters in the region.
Moreover, the implementation of last-mile electricity connectivity programmes has been mentioned as another key incentive, and leaders pledged that residents who have not yet been connected to the national grid would be connected to the grid soon, as part of the ongoing rural electrification initiatives.
Ruto appoints DCP defector as advisor
Political moves at the national level have also been afoot as a result of the campaign trail, such as the hiring of former DCP nomination runner-up Paul Waiganjo as an advisor on development matters in government. The appointment followed shortly after his reports of defecting from DCP to UDA reached THE head of state.
Opposition’s momentum in Ol Kalou
In spite of the large number of government officials in the campaigns, DCP has stepped up its mobilisation in Ol Kalou.
The Democracy for the Citizens Party’s acting secretary general and Nyandarua Senator John Methu has been pushing the hard sell for DCP’s Samuel Kamau. The DCP party has branded the by-elections as a referendum on governance performance and economic hardship for the ordinary people in the area.
DCP-aligned leaders say the by-election is a snapshot of the general discontent in some areas of Mount Kenya, driven by the high cost of living and local grievances, which are influencing the perceptions of voters towards the upcoming national elections.
High-stakes political contest
The Ol Kalou by-election has turned into a political flashpoint with both sides trying to establish their dominance in the area, with the UDA going head-to-head with an opposition by-election campaign with the DCP.
But, as campaign rallies keep ongoing, the question is whether the campaign’s claims and promises of government involvement will be more influential than the opposition in determining the final form of the result at the ballot.