Why the real loser in Ol Kalou contest is the State

Ol Kalou MP-elect Sammy Ngotho during the by-elections on July 16,2026. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

While elections produce both winners and losers, the real loser in Ol Kalou was not UDA's candidate but the State itself. Unless Kenya radically reforms its electoral environment, the by-election offers yet another warning of how State conduct is undermining our electoral democracy.

What lessons should we draw, and what must change before the 2027 General Election? Given the repeated election crimes witnessed in recent weeks, it is worth restating the standards set by our Constitution and electoral laws. Elections must reflect the will of voters, not the preferences of politicians, State agencies, or security agencies (CoK Articles 1, 38).