In Ol Kalou lives a family I will call the Wanjikus.
The grandfather was a squatter on the farm of the late Josiah Mwangi Kariuki (JM) in the early 1970s. During the 1975 by-election that followed JM's assassination, he voted for the opposition-backed candidate and returned home convinced that conscience mattered more than patronage.
His son later voted for David Kiaraho in 2022, even as much of Mt Kenya was swept by the UDA wave. Today, the grandson sells meals in Rurii Market and sums up the family's conviction in a simple phrase: "Sisi hatuli handouts, tunakula heshima" — we do not live on handouts; we live with dignity.
In many ways, that family represents Ol Kalou.
Like many rural constituencies, Ol Kalou faces unemployment, poverty and economic frustration. Yet it possesses something increasingly rare in Kenyan politics: a deeply rooted instinct to question power rather than simply submit to it.
That instinct can be traced back to one man—Josiah Mwangi Kariuki.
As MP for the former Nyandarua North Constituency, which later gave birth to Ol Kalou and Kipipiri constituencies, JM became the conscience of a young nation. His famous warning still echoes nearly five decades later: "We do not want a Kenya of ten millionaires and ten million beggars."
Those words challenged a political order that rewarded privilege over justice.
When JM disappeared in March 1975 after leaving the Hilton Hotel in Nairobi, and his body was later discovered in Ngong Forest, the nation was shaken. His death transformed him into a lasting symbol of resistance against the abuse of power.
The by-election that followed became far more than a contest for a parliamentary seat. It became a test of whether the State could dictate the will of the people.
Government resources poured into the constituency. Campaign machinery intensified. Political pressure mounted.
Yet voters chose G.G. Kariuki, rejecting the establishment's preferred candidate and sending a powerful message that political loyalty could neither be bought nor imposed.
As Scripture reminds us, "A false balance is an abomination to the Lord." The people of this region chose to weigh leaders on conscience rather than convenience.
History would reinforce that lesson.
During the final years of one-party rule, another fiercely contested by-election was held in neighbouring Kipipiri, then part of the wider political landscape that now includes present-day Ol Kalou. Once again, the full machinery of government descended on the constituency. Once again, voters refused to be intimidated.
Githu Muigai defeated KANU's candidate, demonstrating that even overwhelming political power has limits when citizens vote according to conviction.
That independent streak survived the transition to multiparty democracy and later devolution.
Before the 2022 General Election, a by-election in Rurii Ward, following the death of an MCA, attracted intense national attention. Heavyweights from the then-ruling Jubilee Party campaigned vigorously. Convoys arrived. Promises multiplied.
Voters welcomed every visitor with courtesy, accepted the hospitality—and quietly voted according to their own judgment.
Then came the 2022 General Election.
Across much of Mt Kenya, the UDA wave appeared unstoppable. Constituency after constituency turned yellow, and analysts predicted that Jubilee candidates stood little chance.
Ol Kalou had other ideas.
David Kiaraho retained the parliamentary seat on a Jubilee ticket, becoming one of the few candidates to withstand the regional political tide.
Why?
Because Ol Kalou has consistently demonstrated that it votes less for party symbols than for personal credibility. It rewards visibility over slogans and performance over propaganda.
An MP who attends community meetings, supports students through bursaries, follows up on development projects and remains accessible often matters more than the party logo printed beside their name.
This is not contrarianism for its own sake. It is institutional memory.
JM taught this constituency to question authority. The 1975 by-election demonstrated that money does not always defeat principle. The political contests of the 1990s reinforced that even dominant political machines can be challenged. Rurii Ward showed that local elections are not simply endorsements of national parties. The 2022 election reminded the country that political waves do not reach every shore.
That history matters as Ol Kalou prepares for another by-election.
Those arriving with long convoys, cash handouts and carefully choreographed rallies should remember that this constituency has seen such spectacles before.
Three lessons stand out.
First, never underestimate the intelligence of voters. People understand that a few thousand shillings today cannot pay tomorrow's school fees or create lasting employment.
Second, patronage breeds dependence rather than development. Cash handouts disappear overnight, but roads, electricity, functioning markets and jobs endure.
Third, bribery creates relationships of obligation rather than trust. As the proverb says, "The borrower is servant to the lender." Many voters would rather remain politically independent than financially indebted.
Real campaigns should focus on something different: honest conversations about jobs, reliable electricity, better roads, support for farmers and small businesses, technical colleges that prepare young people for employment, transparent public spending, and leaders who remain visible long after elections are over.
Ol Kalou may be a relatively small constituency, but it has repeatedly demonstrated that democratic influence is not measured by population alone.
Like David facing Goliath, it has reminded larger political forces that conviction often outweighs resources.
As political strategists prepare for future contests, they would do well to leave behind the politics of patronage. Bring ideas instead of inducements. Bring policy instead of propaganda. Bring respect instead of entitlement.
If history is any guide, the Wanjiku family will politely accept the refreshments, listen to every speech, shake every candidate's hand—and then walk into the polling station to vote exactly as conscience dictates.
That has been Ol Kalou's political signature for half a century.
And it may well remain so.
About the Author
Dr. Irungu Kang'ata is the Governor of Murang'a County, elected in 2022, and a Kenyan lawyer, academic and politician. He holds a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B), Master of Laws (LL.M) and a PhD in Law from the University of Nairobi, and has taught law at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa. Before becoming governor, he served as Member of Parliament for Kiharu (2013–2017), Senator for Murang'a County (2017–2022), and Senate Majority Chief Whip. Kang'ata began his political career as a councillor in Murang'a in 2002 and has built a reputation as a legal scholar and public policy commentator, frequently writing on governance, democracy, constitutional law and devolution.