Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua./HANDOUT
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has defended the continued celebrations by his Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) and its supporters following the party's resounding victory in the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election.
Gachagua said the outcome represents far more than the election of a single Member of Parliament.
Speaking during a DCP meeting in Ol Kalou, Gachagua said the result marked a major political milestone for the Mt Kenya region and demonstrated that Kenyan voters cannot be swayed by money or state influence.
"The results of the by-election in Ol Kalou are one of the biggest political milestones in the Mountain," Gachagua said.
"I have seen Kenya Kwanza-allied politicians crying that we are celebrating too much because of one election. We are celebrating what it means and what it has proven for the country."
According to the former Deputy President, the victory had shattered the belief that the government could use financial resources to secure another term in office.
"There has been a perception that the government would buy the people of Kenya and get another term. We will continue to celebrate for a long time," he said.
"The people of Ol Kalou have proven to this country that dirty money means nothing. We want to salute the people of Ol Kalou. This win is for the Kenyan people."
Gachagua maintained that regardless of the resources deployed by the Kenya Kwanza administration, voters had demonstrated their willingness to reject the government at the ballot.
"Even if they spend so much, this administration will go home," he said.
He argued that the by-election had also shown that Kenyans could no longer be misled by political promises.
"Another reason why we are celebrating is that it has now become clear you cannot deceive the people anymore. The people of Ol Kalou, like all Kenyans, saw through the deception," he said.
Gachagua further praised the high voter turnout witnessed during the by-election, expressing confidence that the Mt Kenya region would record an even higher turnout during the 2027 General Election.
"Number three, we are celebrating the determination and energy of the people to come out in large numbers and vote. I have no doubt that, especially in the Mountain, we will not have a voter turnout of less than 98 per cent," he said.
He also commended voters for safeguarding the integrity of the electoral process, saying their vigilance contributed significantly to the outcome.
"We are also celebrating the capacity of the Kenyan voter to protect the election. We want the people of Kenya to visit Ol Kalou to do benchmarking on how to protect votes. It is a victory for the Kenyan voter," he said.
The Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election was won by DCP candidate Sammy Douglas Kamau Waweru, who garnered 35,440 votes in a landslide victory.
He defeated the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidate, Samuel Muchina Nyagah, who secured 5,450 votes, giving Kamau a commanding winning margin of 29,990 votes.
Jubilee Party candidate Wilson Mwaniki Kigwa finished a distant third with 198 votes, while Stephen Wanyoike Waithaka of the National Liberal Party garnered 103 votes.
