By Perez Karisa, June 23 2026
Residents of Mugumo village in Ol Kalou on Tuesday staged an unusual grassroots fundraiser, each contributing Sh10 towards the purchase of a brand-new suit for Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) parliamentary candidate Sammy Ngotho ahead of the upcoming Ol Kalou by-election.
The event, which was led by Nyandarua Senator John Methu, attracted dozens of residents who queued patiently to drop their contributions into a plastic bucket bearing the image of the candidate. Organizers described the initiative as a show of solidarity with Ngotho and a response to critics who have recently mocked him over his appearance and economic status.
According to Senator Methu, the fundraiser was prompted by remarks made by Public Service Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria, who allegedly referred to Ngotho as a “chokora”, a derogatory term used to describe a street person.
Methu said the people of Nyandarua had rejected attempts to demean the candidate and had instead chosen to demonstrate that leadership is not determined by one’s financial status but by the support of ordinary wananchi.
“This is a people-driven campaign. Nobody should be insulted because of how they dress or their economic background. Leadership is about serving the people, and today wananchi have spoken,” said Methu.
In scenes that quickly attracted attention on social media, some residents who arrived with larger denominations asked for their balance before dropping exactly Sh10 into the collection bucket, underscoring the symbolic nature of the exercise.
Speaking during the event, Methu declared that the suit purchased using the contributions from villagers would be the same one Ngotho would wear during his swearing-in ceremony if elected as the next Member of Parliament for Ol Kalou.
“This suit will not just be ordinary attire. It will represent the voice and support of ordinary wananchi. If Sammy wins, he will take the oath of office wearing the suit bought by the people,” he said.
Ngotho, a former Member of County Assembly, thanked residents for their support and described the fundraiser as proof that his campaign was rooted among ordinary citizens.
He pledged to champion issues affecting local residents and promised to remain accessible to the electorate if elected.
The fundraiser comes as campaigns intensify ahead of the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election scheduled for July 16, 2026.
Ngotho secured the DCP ticket after winning the party primaries in a landslide, garnering 12,957 votes against his closest challenger, Paul Waiganjo, who received 4,978 votes.
Political observers have described the by-election as a high-stakes contest that will serve as a major test of influence in the Mount Kenya region, with former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s DCP seeking to challenge the dominance of President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
The mini-poll has attracted national attention, with analysts viewing it as a proxy battle that could shape political alignments ahead of the 2027 General Election.
As campaigns gather momentum, leaders from both camps are expected to intensify their efforts to win over voters in what is shaping up to be one of the most closely watched by-elections in recent years.
