Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on Monday hosted a luncheon at his Wamunyoro residence to celebrate the victory of Ol Kalou MP-elect Sammy Kamau Waweru, describing the by-election outcome as a major boost for the opposition's campaign ahead of the 2027 General Election.
In a statement after the meeting, Gachagua said the event brought together members of the campaign team, polling agents, mobilisers, volunteers, allied Members of Parliament, Democratic Congress Party (DCP) aspirants and party officials who played a role in Waweru's victory.
"Today at Wamunyoro Residence, we hosted a luncheon in honor of Hon. Sammy Kamau Waweru, MP-Elect Ol Kalou Constituency following his victory," Gachagua said.
"We thanked our campaign teams, polling agents, mobilizers, volunteers, allied MPs, DCP Party aspirants and DCP Party for their support and dedication to supporting our candidate who emerged the winner."
The former Deputy President said the gathering also provided an opportunity to engage supporters on what he termed the country's "liberation cause."
"I also got the opportunity to hear their views on the liberation cause of our country. Thank you all and God bless Kenya," he added.
The luncheon came days after Waweru was declared winner of the fiercely contested Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election, a result that has been interpreted by Gachagua's allies as evidence of growing support for the opposition in the Mt Kenya region.
The victory has injected fresh momentum into the Democratic Congress Party, which has been positioning itself as a key political vehicle in Gachagua's campaign to consolidate support in the region ahead of the next General Election.
A politically charged contest
The Ol Kalou by-election attracted national attention after it evolved into a high-stakes political battle between President William Ruto's Kenya Kwanza administration and a broad opposition alliance led by Gachagua.
Senior political leaders from both camps campaigned extensively in Nyandarua County, turning the contest into a referendum on the region's political direction nearly a year before the official campaign period for the 2027 elections.
Throughout the campaign, Gachagua framed the by-election as an opportunity for residents to send a political message to the Kenya Kwanza administration, while government leaders urged voters to support a candidate aligned with the national government to facilitate development.
The campaign was also marked by accusations and counter-accusations over the use of State resources, claims of political intimidation and disputes over campaign conduct.
President Ruto allies repeatedly toured the constituency during the campaign period, commissioning and inspecting development projects while urging residents to back the government's preferred candidate. His allies argued that electing a candidate working closely with the national administration would accelerate the implementation of roads, water and other public projects.
Gachagua, however, criticised what he described as the politicisation of development, insisting that public projects are funded by taxpayers and should not be tied to electoral support. He maintained that government services should benefit all Kenyans regardless of their political affiliation.
The by-election therefore became one of the clearest tests yet of political influence in the Mt Kenya region following Gachagua's fallout with President Ruto and his subsequent impeachment as Deputy President.
Political analysts say the result is likely to shape the strategies of both the government and the opposition as they intensify efforts to win support ahead of the 2027 General Election.
