Voters turned out in large numbers across several polling stations on Thursday July 16, 2026 in Ol Kalou Constituency, Nyandarua County to cast their votes in the by-election.

The voting exercise started at 6.00 am, although some voters raised concerns over the alleged malfunctioning of voter identification machines at some polling stations.

Meanwhile, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) said polling stations will close at 5.00 pm, but voters who will be in the queue by the official closing time will still be allowed to vote.

IEBC emphasized that any time lost during polling will be recovered at the close of voting.

The by-election is being held to fill the vacant Member of the National Assembly seat following the death of the area MP, David Njuguna Kiaraho of the Jubilee Party, on March 29, 2026.

This by-election has attracted national attention and is widely viewed as a key test of political influence of President William Ruto and DCP party leader Rigathi Gachagua in the Mt. Kenya region.

Earlier this week, the IEBC reminded voters that the secrecy of the ballot is protected by the Constitution and must be respected throughout the electoral process.

The electoral agency warned that photographing or recording a marked ballot paper is prohibited and amounts to an electoral offence.

“Any act that compromises this secrecy, including photographing or recording a marked ballot paper, undermines the integrity of the electoral process, exposes voters to undue influence, coercion, and vote-buying, and constitutes an electoral offence,” stated the IEBC.