Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has intensified his push to consolidate political influence in the Mt Kenya region after endorsing Sammy Kamau Waweru as the DCP Party candidate in the upcoming Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election.
In a statement posted after Waweru presented his nomination papers, Gachagua described the candidate as the constituency’s preferred son and rallied residents behind his bid.
“Congratulations Sammy Kamau Waweru on the presentation of your nomination papers today to run for the Olkalou Parliamentary by-elections on DCP PARTY! Olkalou, behold your son Sammy Kamau Waweru!” Gachagua said.
The by-election was triggered by the death of former Ol Kalou MP David Njuguna Kiaraho, whose passing left the Nyandarua seat vacant and set the stage for a fiercely contested race.
The contest has attracted more than 20 aspirants and is increasingly being viewed as a political duel between allies of President William Ruto and those aligned with Gachagua, who has lately positioned himself as a key political force outside the Kenya Kwanza establishment.
Among Waweru’s main competitors is United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidate Samuel Muchina Nyagah, who has been campaigning aggressively with the backing of leaders allied to President Ruto. Other independent and party-backed aspirants have also entered the race, turning the mini-poll into one of the most watched political contests in the region this year.
The DCP Party nominations themselves attracted significant attention after Sammy Kamau Ngotho emerged victorious in a tightly contested internal exercise, securing the party ticket amid heightened interest from Gachagua supporters.
Political observers say the Ol Kalou contest will serve as an early measure of Gachagua’s influence in Central Kenya following his fallout with the Kenya Kwanza administration. The former deputy president has recently used public rallies and grassroots meetings to accuse the government of sidelining the Mt Kenya region politically and economically.
On the other hand, leaders allied to President Ruto have framed the by-election as a referendum on the government’s development agenda, arguing that voters should support candidates aligned with the ruling coalition to ensure continued access to state-backed projects and funding.
The by-election campaign is expected to dominate political discourse in Nyandarua County in the coming weeks, with both camps expected to deploy senior political figures to rally support ahead of polling day.
