Voters in Ol Kalou, Kenya, went to the polls today in a tense environment marked by the deployment of anti-riot police and reports of an attack on Nation Media journalists. Residents turned out to vote for their next Member of Parliament amid heightened security measures.

The atmosphere was further strained by reports of hooded individuals in unmarked vehicles, leading to confrontations with groups of people near polling stations. Some journalists covering the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election were affected during the incidents, with reports of assaults and loss of media equipment.

AC Primary School and Ol Kalou Comprehensive School experienced disruptions following clashes between groups of youths outside polling stations and individuals travelling in unmarked vehicles.

Despite assurances from Central Regional Commissioner Joshua Nkanatha that vehicles with unmarked number plates would be impounded and that polling stations should remain accessible to voters and Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) officials, reports emerged of journalists being attacked and equipment being taken during the incidents.

Among the journalists affected were George Kieru, an NTV cameraman whose camera was seized, and Radio Africa journalist Enos Teche, who was reported to have sustained injuries. The incidents occurred amid claims by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua that there were attempts to disrupt voting at some polling stations.

Reports of a vehicle belonging to the UDA candidate being set ablaze, alongside other incidents recorded during voting, highlight the political rivalry surrounding the Ol Kalou by-election as parties compete for influence in Kenya’s Mt. Kenya region ahead of the 2027 General Election.

The Ol Kalou parliamentary seat became vacant following the death of area MP David Njuguna Kiaraho on March 29, 2026. Kiaraho, who won the seat on a Jubilee Party ticket, had served three consecutive terms.

The by-election has renewed political competition between former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and President William Ruto, with both sides seeking influence in Kenya’s influential Mt. Kenya region.

The Jubilee Party nominated Wilson Kigwa in an attempt to reclaim the seat, while the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) backed Sammy Douglas Kamau Ngotho. Meanwhile, President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) fielded Samuel Muchina Nyagah as it sought to maintain its support in the region.

As the voting process concludes, residents of Ol Kalou await the final results to determine their next Member of Parliament from the nine candidates who contested the seat.