Voters in Ol Kalou Constituency, Nyandarua County will cast their ballots on July 16 to select a new Member of Parliament, as announced by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) on Sunday morning. This announcement follows National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula’s declaration of the seat’s vacancy just four days earlier.
The IEBC confirmed, “The By-Election for the Member of National Assembly for Ol Kalou Constituency in Nyandarua County will be held on Thursday, July 16, 2026.” This vacancy arose after the passing of the area MP, David Kiaraho, on March 29 at Nairobi Hospital during treatment.
In addition, the IEBC has appointed Anthony Muhia Njiraini as the Returning Officer and Maurine Chepkemoi Kisiero as the Deputy Returning Officer for the upcoming mini-polls.
Political parties wishing to participate in the by-elections must submit the names and specimen signatures of authorized representatives by Monday, May 4. They are also required to provide the names of their candidates for the primaries and the nomination dates by the same deadline.
Both the ruling UDA party and former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s DCP have indicated that ten aspirants are interested in running, with DCP’s allies from Jubilee and PLP also expressing intentions to sponsor candidates.
The IEBC has set May 25 and 26 as the days for parties and independent candidates to submit their nomination papers to the Returning Officer. Parties must resolve all intra-party disputes and submit a list of nominated candidates by the deadline of May 15.
IEBC Chairman Erastus Ethekon stated, “Newly registered political parties and those that have revised their membership lists must submit their certified membership lists by Monday, May 4, to participate in the by-elections.”
Public officers wishing to contest in the by-elections must resign from their positions within seven days of the vacancy declaration, which is today. The Commission will publish the names of candidates contesting in party primaries and the corresponding dates within seven days of receiving the nominations.
Candidates intending to run as independents must not have been affiliated with any political party for at least three months prior to the by-elections, according to the established rules.
Official campaign activities will begin on May 25 and conclude on July 13, 48 hours before the election, with campaigning permitted daily from 7 AM to 6 PM.
Political parties planning to nominate candidates through indirect nominations must submit their lists to the Commission by Friday, May 15.
