Ruto breaks silence over DCP Ol Kalou landslide
President William Ruto has called for national unity following a significant by-election loss for his party in Ol Kalou. The victory of the opposition DCP candidate is seen as a major political shift in the Mt Kenya region ahead of the 2027 elections.
Why it matters
This election result signals potential political realignment and challenges to the ruling party's influence in a key Kenyan region.
President William Ruto has urged Kenyans to resist using elections as a tool for division, saying political contests come and go but national unity must remain. Ruto spoke on Friday during a meeting with grassroots leaders from Bungoma County at State House, Nairobi, led by Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa. "There will be Kenya after the election, and we must live together as brothers and sisters of one nation," said Ruto. The remarks came hours after the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) declared Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) candidate Sammy Douglas Kamau Waweru winner of the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election, defeating the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidate Samuel Muchina Nyagah by 35,440 votes to 5,450.
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