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Oburu said it was difficult to understand why Gachagua still appeared unhappy after his side emerged victorious. He recalled that the former Deputy President had warned that the by-election would be stolen, but said the declaration of the results had proved those fears wrong.
The President said elections should never be treated as a matter of life and death, adding that leaders have a responsibility to promote national cohesion instead of deepening divisions for political gain.
His return to UDA comes less than a year after he contested the 2025 Malava parliamentary by-election on a DAP-K ticket following his fallout with the ruling party
In a statement issued on Thursday before declaration of the results, Gachagua said the victory reflected the will of the people and secured the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) its first seat in the National Assembly
Addressing supporters after he was declared the winner, the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) candidate first thanked God, saying the journey to Parliament had only been possible through divine favour despite the obstacles he encountered.
The wide margin handed DCP its first parliamentary seat since the party was formed and dealt President William Ruto's UDA a major political blow in a contest widely viewed as a key test of political support in the Mt Kenya region ahead of the 2027 General Election.
According to the provisional results received from at least 96 of the 114 polling stations, Waweru had garnered more than 10,000 votes against Muchina’s about 2,000.
The exercise is now taking place at polling stations across the constituency under the watch of candidates' agents, accredited observers and the media before results are forwarded for constituency tallying.
The IEBC also noted that comprehensive security arrangements had been put in place to safeguard the integrity of the poll
His response followed allegations by DCP deputy party leader Cleophas Malala, who claimed some security officers were moving around polling areas in civilian clothes and in vehicles without number plates with the aim of intimidating voters.
The commission also reminded residents that every eligible voter listed in the certified Register of Voters for the constituency must first be identified using the Kenya Integrated Elections Management System (KIEMS) kit before receiving ballot papers.
The contest has drawn widespread interest, with nine candidates seeking to win the seat in a race expected to offer an early indication of the political contest ahead of the 2027 General Election. Among those in the race are Samuel Muchina Nyagah of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), Sammy Kamau Ngotho of the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP), and Timothy Kamau of the People's Renaissance Movement (PRM).