President William Ruto’s UDA is facing a bleak future in controlling sections of Rift Valley region, considered his bedroom, if the Emurua Dikirr by-election results are anything to count.

The political landscape in the Rift Valley is undergoing a significant transformation with the statistics from the constituency located in the South Rift.

While the seat was ultimately won by UDA’s David Keter, who secured 18,266 votes, the performance of the Democratic Congress Party (DCP) has sent ripples through the region.

Led by Rigathi Gachagua, the DCP candidate, Vincent Rotich, managed to garner 10,760 votes, a figure the party leadership views as a landmark achievement in a zone traditionally dominated by the UDA.

Gachagua has expressed immense confidence in this outcome, noting that such a strong showing in the South Rift suggests the party is rapidly outgrowing its original support bases.

He credited the spirited campaign to the tireless work of his team, particularly the women who mobilized voters at all hours to challenge the status quo.

To the party leader, this is not just a loss in a single by-election, but a heroic entry into the national stage and a sign that voters are increasingly seeking independent and rational alternatives to the established political order.

This shift is backed by recent data from TIFA Research, which highlights a massive surge in national support for the DCP.

Between late 2025 and May 2026, the party’s popularity jumped from six percent to 16 percent, making it the fastest-growing political movement in Kenya.