The ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party has secured a major political victory after its candidate, David Kipsang Keter, won the fiercely contested Emurua Dikirr parliamentary by-election.
According to the final results announced by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), Keter garnered 18,266 votes to defeat Democratic Congress Party (DCP) candidate Vincent Kibet Rotich, who received 10,760 votes. Gideon Koech of the National Vision Party (NVP) finished a distant third with 190 votes.
The by-election attracted national attention as it was widely viewed as a political battle between President William Ruto and former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, whose allies heavily campaigned for the opposition candidate.
IEBC officials reported a voter turnout of 66.6 percent, with 29,538 ballots cast out of 44,353 registered voters, reflecting strong public interest in the race.
UDA leaders celebrated the victory as a sign that the ruling party still enjoys significant support in the Rift Valley region despite growing political tensions within Kenya’s leadership circles. Supporters of President Ruto described the outcome as a strong endorsement of the government’s development agenda and leadership.
On the other hand, allies of Gachagua argued that the opposition had made significant gains despite the loss, insisting that the results reflected changing political dynamics ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The Emurua Dikirr seat fell vacant following the death of former MP Johana Ng’eno in a helicopter crash earlier this year, prompting the by-election.
Political analysts are now expected to closely examine the results as an indicator of the shifting alliances and emerging rivalries that could shape Kenya’s political landscape in the coming months.
