NAIROBI, Kenya Apr 27-The ruling United Democratic Alliance has scheduled party primaries for May 9 to pick its candidate for the forthcoming Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election.
In a notice issued by the party’s National Elections Board, UDA said the nominations follow the declaration of a vacancy in the Ol Kalou parliamentary seat in Nyandarua County.
The exercise will be conducted on Saturday, May 9, with interested aspirants required to submit their applications through the party’s online nomination portal.
The registration window opens on Monday, April 27, and closes on Sunday, May 3, at 5pm.
“All aspirants must first register on the UDA portal,” the notice signed by National Elections Board chairman Anthony Mwaura states.
Upon successful registration, candidates will be prompted to pay nomination fees through an integrated M-Pesa STK push system on the portal.
UDA has set the nomination fee at Sh250,000 for general applicants, while women, youth and persons with disabilities will pay a subsidised fee of Sh125,000. The fees are non-refundable.
The party also reminded prospective candidates serving in public office that they must resign by April 30 to be eligible to contest in the by-election, in line with electoral laws.
The Ol Kalou seat fell vacant, triggering preparations for a by-election that is expected to attract significant political attention in Nyandarua County, a region considered a key political battleground in the Mt Kenya region.
UDA, which currently enjoys significant support in the county, will be seeking to retain the seat as it moves to consolidate its influence ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) set July 16 as the date for the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election.
In a Gazette Notice, the electoral body’s Chairperson Erastus Ethekon said the poll follows the formal declaration of a vacancy in the Ol Kalou National Assembly seat by Speaker Moses Wetang’ula.
David Kiaraho, who was elected to represent Ol Kalou constituency under Article 97 (1) (a) of the Constitution, died on March 29.
“Following the declaration of vacancies that occurred in the office of Member of the National Assembly for Ol Kalou Constituency, Nyandarua County, by the Speaker, there shall be a by-election on Thursday, July 16, 2026,” the notice states.
The by-election will fill the parliamentary seat for Ol Kalou Constituency.
Political parties seeking to field candidates have been directed to submit the names of aspirants and the dates of their party primaries to the electoral agency by May 4.
“Each political party intending to participate in the by-election shall submit the names of the persons contesting in a party primary and the date of the party primary on or before Monday, May 4, 2026,” Ethekon said.
On April 20th,the seat for Ol Kalou Constituency in the National Assembly has officially been declared vacant following the death of area Member of Parliament David Njuguna Kiaraho.
In a Gazette notice, National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula confirmed that the vacancy arose after the legislator’s passing on March 29, 2026.
The declaration was made in accordance with Articles 101(4)(a) and 103(1)(a) of the Constitution, alongside Section 16(3) of the Elections Act.
The declaration of the vacancy paves the way for the electoral process to fill the seat, with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission expected to announce a by-election date.
Under the law, a by-election is required to be held within 90 days of the occurrence of a vacancy in the National Assembly.
The gazette notice marks the official start of the process, triggering preparations by both the electoral body and political parties interested in fielding candidates.
Political parties have already begun positioning themselves ahead of the anticipated by-election, which is expected to attract significant interest in Nyandarua County.
The United Democratic Alliance has indicated it will sponsor a candidate, with more than 10 aspirants expressing interest in the party ticket. Party officials have said nominations will be conducted at a later date.
The Ol Kalou seat is considered politically significant in the county, and the upcoming contest is likely to draw competition from multiple parties seeking to strengthen their presence in the region.