The by-election in Ol Kalou constituency has brought an unprecedented amount of resources and attention. Voters are receiving goodies like mattresses, gas cookers, foodstuffs, and money. The joke is that a dead MP is more 'useful' than a living one. The by-election has also brought new infrastructure like roads, power lines, and water. However, joblessness remains a major issue.

The name Ol Kalou comes from the Maasai origin. It shares the name with the headquarters of Nyandarua County. Like the US states with names of Native Americans, Nyandarua County's names evoke its original owners. The agreements of 1904 and 1911 turned their once-grazing land into white highlands.

The presence of Boers and the British brought workers from other parts of the country to Nyandarua. During Mau Mau, the Gíkúyú workers were replaced by other communities due to their ties to Mau Mau. It's not unusual to find Turkana or Kamba fluent in Gíkúyú in this county. Ol Kalou constituency is bounded by the Aberdares and Lake Ol Bollosat to the East. To the west, there's the famous Dundori and its legends.

Dairying, potato growing, and greenhouses define the economic activities of Ol Kalou. Wheat used to be the king during the colonial period and just after uhuru. A university will soon be built in the constituency. The by-election has exposed the UDA's fear of losing and their 2027 game plan. So much money is being poured into one constituency - what of the 2027 polls with Members of County Assemblies (MCAs), women reps, senators, and the president?

The Ol Kalou by-election is a magnet because of the MP's passing. Leading the campaigns are carpetbaggers. It's more hilarious when translated into Gíkúyú. New roads, power lines, water, and other services are flowing in. What is missing in Ol Kalou is job offers. Joblessness is making it easy to give handouts and get audiences.

To understand why Ol Kalou has attracted so much political interest, we need to cross oceans and go to Vietnam. Now a leading coffee grower, the country was once a battlefield pitting the United States against communists. The US feared that if Vietnam fell, more Southeast Asian countries would too fall to communism. If Ol Kalou falls to DCP, more constituencies would fall?

The US fought a bloody and long war in Vietnam, with over 58,000 American deaths. Nyandarua County's past, including the Mau Mau, has a similar 'domino theory' effect on UDA. If Ol Kalou falls to DCP, the party and its allies will gather momentum for 2027. Unfortunately, the UDA reaction has exposed its soft underbelly. Fear of losing and the 2027 game plan.

Key Facts

• Over 58,000 Americans died in the Vietnam War. • Ol Kalou constituency has attracted massive resources and attention from big parties. • The constituency's economy is based on dairying, potato growing, and greenhouses. • A university will soon be built in the constituency. • The by-election has exposed UDA's fear of losing and their 2027 game plan.