The battle for the Ol Kalou parliamentary seat has officially begun, with residents heading to polling stations from early Thursday to elect a new Member of Parliament in a by-election that has attracted national political attention.
Polling stations opened at 6 am across the Nyandarua County constituency, where voters are choosing a successor to the late David Kiaraho, whose death left the parliamentary seat vacant. Kiaraho was elected on a Jubilee Party ticket during the 2022 General Election.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), which is conducting the by-election, said polling stations will remain open until 5.00 p.m. and assured voters that anyone in the queue by the official closing time will still be allowed to cast their ballot. The commission also said any time lost because of interruptions during the day would be recovered before voting closes.
“Polling stations opened at 6.00 am and will close at 5.00 pm. Any lost time during polling will be recovered at closing. Voters in the queue by 5.00 pm will be allowed to vote,” IEBC stated.
The contest has drawn widespread interest, with nine candidates seeking to win the seat in a race expected to offer an early indication of the political contest ahead of the 2027 General Election. Security has also been heightened across the constituency as election officials supervise the voting exercise.
Among those in the race are Samuel Muchina Nyagah of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), Sammy Kamau Ngotho of the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP), and Timothy Kamau of the People's Renaissance Movement (PRM).
Also on the ballot are Edward Mathenge of the Kenya Moja Movement (KMM), Edwin Kariiri Muchiri of the Party of National Unity (PNU), Stephen Wanyoike Waithaka of the National Liberal Party (NLP), Rachael Wangui Njoroge of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), and Abdifatah Hussein of the Federal Party of Kenya (FPK).
An IEBC banner at a polling station in Ol Kalou on July 16, 2026.
PHOTO/IEBC
As voting got underway, the electoral commission reminded residents that the secrecy of the ballot is a constitutional right protected under Articles 38(3)(b) and 81(e)(i) of the Constitution.
“The secrecy of the ballot is a constitutional right guaranteed under Article 38(3)(b) and 81(e)(i) of the Constitution and is a fundamental principle of democratic elections,” the Commission said.
IEBC warned that photographing or recording a marked ballot paper is an electoral offence, saying the practice compromises the integrity of elections and may expose voters to intimidation, coercion and vote-buying.
A ballot box at St Joseph Primary School in Ol Kalou on July 16, 2026.
PHOTO/IEBC
The commission urged voters to safeguard the secrecy of their vote and encouraged candidates, observers and members of the public to follow election updates through its official communication channels to avoid misinformation during the voting process.
Voting is expected to continue throughout the day before counting and tallying of ballots begin immediately after polling closes. The outcome of the by-election is expected to be closely watched, with the race seen as an early political contest between the ruling United Democratic Alliance and the opposition's Democracy for the Citizens Party ahead of the 2027 General Election.