‘Hatutaki pesa!’: Angry crowd chases man from Ol Kalou polling station

A man was chased away by a crowd during the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election on Thursday after a confrontation at a polling station in Nyandarua County.

The incident occurred as residents voted to elect a new Member of the National Assembly in the closely watched by-election.

In a video seen by The Star, the man is seen standing on raised ground as a crowd gathers around him. Moments later, the situation escalates, forcing him to climb down before running away as members of the public pursue him.

People in the crowd are heard chanting, "Anapeana pesa kwa nini? Anapeana pesa kwa nini? Hafai kupatiana pesa. Hatutaki pesa."

The chants translate to, "Why is he giving out money? He should not be giving out money. We do not want money."

The circumstances leading to the confrontation were not immediately clear, and the claims implied by the crowd's chants could not be independently verified.

The incident unfolded as voting continued across Ol Kalou under heightened security, with authorities maintaining a heavy presence at polling stations to ensure a peaceful electoral process.

The seat for Ol Kalou Constituency Member of National Assembly became vacant after the death of the sitting MP, David Njuguna Kiaraho (Jubilee Party), on 29 March 2026.

The by election It's widely seen as a litmus test for political influence in the Mt. Kenya region ahead of the 2027 general elections.