Standoff at Ol Kalou Comprehensive School Polling Centre as Self-Styled ‘Vote Guards’ Block Police Vehicles
"We don't want protection because we are not at war with anyone and because there is no one we want to block from entering except vehicles. Now, because we are here, this protection is more than enough. Therefore, let's remove these stones that are here," the Agent stated...
✨ Key Highlights
A brief standoff occurred at Ol Kalou Comprehensive School Polling Centre when residents blocked police vehicles during a parliamentary by-election on Thursday.
- Residents, identifying as 'Vote Guards', placed stones and chanted, demanding police vehicles stay away from the polling station.
- The situation was resolved after Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) candidate Sammy Ngotho intervened, brokering an agreement for police to withdraw.
- The group of 'Vote Guards' was briefly dispersed by police using tear gas, though security forces maintained a strong presence in Ol Kalou.
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Voting begins in Ol Kalou by-election as UDA, DCP face off in Mt Kenya test - July 2026
Voting is underway in the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election, a high-stakes contest seen as the first major political test in the Mt. Kenya region since former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua's split with President William Ruto. The election features a sharp contest between the UDA and DCP to fill the seat left vacant by the death of MP David Kiaraho in March. The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) reported a smooth by-election process with over 50% voter turnout by close of voting, urging for continued peace during vote counting. However, the electoral process was disrupted when unidentified masked gunmen in multiple Toyota Land Cruisers assaulted journalists and dispersed residents with teargas. Nation Media Group condemned the violent attack on its journalists covering the by-election, calling it an assault on press freedom. At Ol Kalou Comprehensive School Polling Centre, a brief standoff occurred when residents blocked police vehicles during the by-election. Nyandarua Senator John Methu urged the Central Regional Commissioner to ensure only identifiable police officers are deployed, specifically warning against hooded police at polling stations.
