During the Emurua Dikir by-election campaigns, something has become noticeable: holding campaigns at night, with some days the campaigns going past midnight. This has been a major concern about why the constituency does so.

According to local residents, this trend began way back during the tenure of their late MP, Johanna Ngeno. One of the locals, while speaking to the media on the reason for the trend, stated that this was advice given by the late MP, who told them that since both work and politics are important and work in tandem, they should carry and take both seriously.

“Tunafanya mkutano zetu usiku. Tulikaa chini tukaona tuko na kazi mingi ya kufanya mchana, ya kujenga nchi. Sasa tukaa chini tukaamua tunafanya kazi mchana alafu usiku. Badala ya kuenda kulala tunaitisha mkutano za siasa. Watu wamezoea hivyo,” a local stated

“Hii tabia ililetwa na marehemu Johanan Ngeno, alisema kazi na siasa zote ni muhimu, na inafaa zifanywe kwa pamoja,” he added

That is why, during the day, locals are always busy going about their economic activities meant to add value to the economy, while opting for political rallies at night after work as a way of rejuvenating and re-energising themselves politically.

This comes moments after former Nandi Hills MP Alfred Keter endorsed Democracy for Citizens (DCP) candidate Vincent Rotich for the Emurua Dikir seat.

In a poster shared by the candidate on Monday, May 11, 2026, the outspoken former legislator is also set to join the DCP bandwagon during the party’s homestretch campaigns, which will take place at Chagina Grounds in the constituency, formerly led by Johanna Ngeno, ahead of the by-elections scheduled for Thursday, May 14, 2026.

Emurua Dikir DCP wave

Emurua Dikir campaigns, which are now in the homestretch ahead of the by-elections scheduled for Thursday, May 11, 2026, have attracted public attention after Democracy for Citizens candidate Vincent Rotich pulled crowds that many did not expect, due to the area being considered a UDA zone.

Kericho Senator Aaron Cheruiyot has come out to take a swipe at the DCP’s showdown. He stated that the area tends to align with rowdy, rally-driven politics, saying that this is the reason they appear to have embraced the DCP party.

“For Emurua Dikirr, these are people who, for a long time, are used to that kind of politics, like a firebrand kind of politics. Even in the times of the late MP, if you check how the numbers used to be, they were always a close margin, even when he was in a popular party,” Cheruiyot said.

DCP Deputy Party Leader Cleophas Malala has expressed confidence in the candidate, saying he is a frontrunner and urging Kenyans to watch this space. The candidate has unveiled a different campaign tactic, conducting rallies and meetings at polling station centres.

The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) has fronted their candidate, David Keter, alias “Dollarline”, to face off against his DCP counterpart.

Nayianoi backs Dollar Line.

This has seen the party also intensify campaigns in the constituency, with them also using Nanyoi Ntutu, the spouse of the late area MP Johanna Ngeno, to campaign for “Dollarline”.

She has come out visibly angry over how the constituency appears to be embracing the DCP candidate, saying that they are beginning to lose momentum by supporting a different candidate.

She added that she has no issue with the candidate but has an issue with the DCP leader for announcing the death of her late husband without the family knowing during a political rally, saying that she learnt about it through him.

Gachagua campaigns for his candidate

DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua, on the other hand, despite not setting foot in the constituency, has also been speaking to Emurua Dikir locals through phone calls, urging them to support his candidate, Vincent Rotich.

He has also called for thorough investigations to unravel what caused the death of the late Johanna. Gachagua has also made plans to visit the constituency to pay tribute to the mother of the late Johanna at her Mogondo home.