The Ol Kalou by-election was more than a local contest, it was a 2027 coalition signal. If Mt. Kenya has politically detached from President Ruto, it may also have weakened its leverage to retain the deputy presidency and other key Executive positions.
The real beneficiaries could be Western and Nyanza, whose bargaining power has just grown. The winners in Ol Kalou can have their victory parade today, but the real political dividends may be harvested elsewhere.
