President William Ruto has reportedly pumped a staggering Sh10 billion into Ol Kalou constituency in a desperate bid to buy votes for United Democratic Alliance(UDA) candidate Samuel Muchina ahead of next week’s highly anticipated by-election.
The figure was disclosed by former Trade and Investment Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria, who framed the colossal spending as the government uplifting the lives of Ol Kalou residents. Critics, however, have been far less charitable in their description of what is happening on the ground.
The by-election has become much more than a local contest. It is widely seen as a direct political showdown between Ruto and his estranged former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, who is the supremo of the Democracy for Citizens Party. Their respective candidates, UDA’s Samuel Muchina and DCP’s Sammy Ngotho, are locked in a neck-and-neck race that both sides know carries consequences far beyond Ol Kalou.
With nine days to go before polling day, Ruto’s agents have flooded the constituency with cash and gifts, turning the small but strategically significant constituency nestled in the foothills of the Aberdare ranges into a battleground of unprecedented generosity. On Sunday alone, over 20,000 gas cylinders were delivered to residents, accompanied by blankets and cash that is said to be flowing through the constituency like water.
Gachagua has already raised the alarm, accusing Ruto’s agents of collecting identity cards from residents in exchange for the gas cylinders, a tactic he says is designed to manipulate the voter register and steal the election outright.
Here are some of the photos showing the multi-billion gifts being distributed to Ol Kalou residents ahead of the July 16th by-election.
