By James Murimi - Reporter
Kenya, July 17, 2026 -Voting got underway peacefully in Ol Kalou Constituency on Thursday morning as thousands of residents turned out to elect a new Member of Parliament in a high-stakes by-election widely viewed as an early test of political strength ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The by-election, occasioned by the death of area MP David Kiaraho, officially opened at 6 a.m., with polling stations across the constituency receiving voters despite the biting morning cold.
Wrapped in heavy clothing, residents streamed into polling centres as the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) commenced the exercise on schedule.
Long queues quickly formed at Ol Kalou A.C. Primary School, one of the busiest polling centres, as voters waited patiently to cast their ballots in an election expected to shape the political landscape of the Mt Kenya region.
The IEBC opened all 144 polling stations across the constituency's five wards on time, allowing the 73,480 registered voters to exercise their constitutional right to vote.
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Seven candidates are battling to succeed the late Kiaraho in a contest that has drawn intense national attention. The candidates are Samuel Muchina Nyagah (UDA), Sammy Douglas Kamau Ngotho (DCP), Wilson Kigwa (Jubilee), Rachel Wangui Njoroge (People's Democratic Party), Edward Mathenge (Independent), Stephen Wanyoike Waithaka (National Liberal Party) and Edwin Kariiri Muchiri (PNU).
Although the vote will fill a vacant parliamentary seat, political analysts see the contest as a key indicator of the shifting political dynamics in the vote-rich Mt Kenya region and a crucial gauge of support for rival political camps ahead of the 2027 polls.
Security officers were deployed across the constituency to maintain order as voting progressed peacefully in the early hours, with election officials expressing confidence in the smooth conduct of the exercise.