Jubilant DCP supporters flood Ol Kalou streets as vote tallying continues

Supporter of one of the candidate in Ol- Kalau by-election celebrate early lead on July 16, 2026. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

Celebrations erupted across parts of Ol Kalou town on Thursday night as supporters of leading candidates gathered outside the constituency tallying centre, singing, dancing and chanting slogans while awaiting the official declaration of results in the closely contested parliamentary by-election.

Although the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) had not declared a winner by the time of publication, groups of jubilant residents assembled outside the tallying centre at Ol Kalou Senior School, waving party colours and repeatedly chanting, "Si uchawi, ni maombi," as provisional results continued to trickle in from polling stations across the constituency.

The by-election, one of the most keenly watched electoral contests in recent months, attracted significant political attention, with both the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and the opposition Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) deploying senior leaders to campaign for their candidates in the weeks leading to polling day.

Supporters expressed confidence that their preferred candidates had secured victory based on results announced at individual polling stations and information relayed by party agents.

"We are happy with how the election has gone. We believe our candidate has won and we will continue celebrating until morning as we wait for the official announcement," one resident said outside the tallying centre.

Police officers control the surging crowds at the constituency tallying centre on July 16, 2026. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

Despite the growing celebrations, the electoral commission urged supporters to remain calm, emphasizing that only the Returning Officer has the legal mandate to verify, collate and announce the final constituency results.

Under Kenya's electoral process, results declared at individual polling stations are transmitted to the constituency tallying centre, where they undergo verification before the winner is officially announced.

Earlier in the evening, hundreds of residents accompanied vehicles transporting sealed ballot boxes and statutory election forms from the constituency's 114 polling stations to the tallying centre under heavy police escort.

Police vehicles led the convoy while heavily armed officers secured the transportation of election materials, with residents following on foot, motorcycles and private vehicles as counting concluded across the constituency.

The elaborate security operation reflected heightened concerns surrounding the by-election, which had been preceded by weeks of intense political campaigns and isolated incidents of violence.

Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja had announced the deployment of more than 1,000 police officers drawn from the General Service Unit (GSU), the Anti-Stock Theft Unit (ASTU), the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and regular police formations to safeguard the electoral process.

"Our officers are deployed to safeguard the voting materials and the voting process while ensuring electoral officials perform their duties without interference," Kanja said before polling began.

The police also deployed four water cannons and rapid response teams across the constituency, while every polling station was assigned at least two police officers to protect voters, election officials and polling materials.

IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon had earlier assured voters that comprehensive security arrangements had been put in place to guarantee a peaceful election.

He said each presiding officer was supported by two police officers responsible for maintaining law and order within a 400-metre radius of every polling station, while urging voters to leave polling centres immediately after casting their ballots to allow election officials to conduct counting without disruption.

Celebrations on preliminary results of the Ol-Kalau constituency by-election on July 16, 2026. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

The by-election recorded a relatively high voter turnout, with the IEBC reporting that participation had reached 50.78 per cent by 3 p.m. Voting proceeded peacefully across most polling stations before isolated incidents of violence were reported later in the afternoon, prompting condemnation from electoral authorities and security agencies.

By late Thursday, provisional results indicated DCP candidate Waweru Douglas leading UDA's Samuel Muchina, although the figures remained unofficial pending verification by the Returning Officer.

As tallying continued under tight security, the IEBC reiterated its appeal for patience, urging candidates and supporters to await the official declaration of results and to channel any disputes through the legal mechanisms provided under Kenya's electoral laws.