DAP-K Leader Eugene Wamalwa, Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka and DCP Leader Rigathi Gachagua during a past event / HANDOUTWiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka has announced that the United Opposition will move to court to challenge the outcome of the Mbeere North by-election, insisting that the results were manipulated.
Speaking on Sunday, Kalonzo dismissed claims that the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) had secured victory in both the Malava and Mbeere North by-elections, saying the ruling party was aware it had not won fairly.
Kalonzo claimed that there was direct interference in the Mbeere North vote, alleging that influential phone calls were made during the tallying process.
The Wiper party leader said that they have gathered sufficient evidence to support a legal challenge.
“UDA did not win in Malava and Mbeere; that they know. We have evidence that phone calls were made to Mbeere; that was a direct interference. Therefore, we are going to come up with a serious approach to this thing. Not just the country, the whole world knows he did not win. We are going to have a clear, strong petition,” he said.
Kalonzo added that both local and international observers were aware of what he termed a flawed process.
The Wiper leader said the party’s legal team would file the petition in the coming days as they seek to overturn the results and demand accountability from the electoral authorities.
In the just concluded by-elections, UDA’s Leo Wamuthende emerged winner of the Mbeere North parliamentary seat, solidifying the party’s hold in Embu County.
Wamuthende secured 15,802 votes, edging out his nearest rival, Newton Kariuki (also known as Newton Karish), who garnered 15,308 votes.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki personally led rallies for Wamuthende across Mbeere North in the run-up to the polls, casting the contest as a referendum on delivering development and continuity of government-funded projects.
According to him, electing Wamuthende was vital for completion of major works — including roads, water and electricity infrastructure, and water-reticulation projects from the Kiambere Dam.
On the other side, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua threw his weight behind Kariuki.
His campaign adopted a grassroots approach: door-to-door canvassing, village-level outreach, and appeals to voters to resist what he described as “state-sponsored politics.”
The rivalry injected national-level political significance into a constituency by-election, turning Mbeere North into a proxy arena for broader power tussles within the Mt. Kenya region.
The build-up to the by-election was marred by mutual accusations of attempted election rigging, intimidation and vote-buying.
Gachagua accused their competitors of sponsoring goons, paying youth for their IDs, and mobilising cash to sway voters, alleging that up to Sh 600 million was being used to influence the outcome.
He further raised alarms over social-media videos threatening violence, naming senior officials as allegedly behind the threats, and appealed to the Inspector General of Police for protection.
The UDA, for its part, rejected the allegations. The party countered that its campaign had been peaceful, and that the opposition’s accusations were part of “melodramatic reactions” meant to discredit Wamuthende’s bid.
