Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has revealed the next move the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) is going to take after it suffered a heavy defeat in the just-concluded Ol Kalou by-election.
Kindiki has hinted at a strategic rethink within the UDA Party, declaring that it is “back to the drawing board.”
Kindiki made the brief but significant statement on Friday, July 17, hours after the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) declared Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) candidate Sammy Douglas Waweru Kamau the winner of the closely watched contest.
“Back to the drawing board,” the Deputy President wrote, in what many political observers have interpreted as an acknowledgement that UDA will reassess its political strategy in the Mt Kenya region ahead of the 2027 General Election.
UDA suffers crushing defeat
The Ol Kalou by-election ended in a landslide victory for DCP after Sammy Waweru secured 35,440 votes, comfortably defeating UDA candidate Samuel Muchina Nyaga, who garnered 5,450 votes, according to results announced by the IEBC Returning Officer.
The parliamentary seat fell vacant following the death of long-serving MP David Kiaraho, prompting a contest that quickly evolved into a high-stakes political battle between President William Ruto’s UDA and former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s newly formed DCP.
A major political test
The by-election attracted national attention after both Kenya Kwanza and opposition leaders poured significant political resources into the campaigns.
President William Ruto, Deputy President Kindiki, Cabinet Secretaries, Members of Parliament and senior UDA officials campaigned extensively for Muchina Nyaga, portraying the race as an opportunity to reaffirm the ruling party’s influence in the Mt Kenya region.
On the other side, Gachagua led campaigns for DCP candidate Sammy Waweru, describing the by-election as a referendum on the region’s political direction following his fallout with President Ruto.
Political analysts had described the contest as the first direct electoral showdown between UDA and DCP in Mt Kenya since Gachagua launched his party earlier this year.
Kindiki’s role under scrutiny
Kindiki’s statement comes after weeks of speculation over his role in the Ol Kalou campaigns.
Although the Deputy President maintained a relatively low public profile compared to other Kenya Kwanza leaders, reports indicated he was actively coordinating campaign activities behind the scenes and receiving regular updates from UDA campaign teams.
The defeat is therefore likely to intensify scrutiny over UDA’s political strategy in the vote-rich Mt Kenya region, where DCP is seeking to establish itself as the dominant political force.
Analysts foresee strategic reset
Political analysts had earlier predicted that an Ol Kalou defeat would force the ruling party to reassess its approach in Central Kenya.
They argued that while a UDA victory would have strengthened President Ruto’s standing in the region, a DCP win would demonstrate the growing influence of Gachagua’s political movement and compel the ruling party to rethink its campaign strategy ahead of the 2027 elections.
Kindiki’s “back to the drawing board” remark appears to mirror those assessments, signalling that UDA could be preparing to recalibrate its political messaging, grassroots mobilisation and coalition strategy after the unexpected loss.
Eyes now on 2027
The Ol Kalou result is widely expected to shape political calculations far beyond Nyandarua County.
For DCP, the victory offers momentum as the party seeks to expand its footprint across Mt Kenya.
For UDA, the defeat presents an early warning as President Ruto’s administration prepares for what is expected to be a fiercely contested re-election campaign in 2027.
While Kindiki did not disclose what specific changes the ruling party intends to make, his statement suggests UDA’s leadership is already reflecting on the lessons from Ol Kalou as attention shifts to the next phase of Kenya’s evolving political landscape.
