Ruto Appoints Defeated Ol Kalou UDA Candidate Samuel Muchina to Nairobi Rivers Commission

President William Ruto has appointed Samuel Muchina Nyaga, the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidate who lost the recently concluded Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election, as a member of the Nairobi Rivers Commission. The appointment takes immediate effect following a special Kenya Gazette notice issued on Wednesday, July 22, 2026.
Muchina, who finished second in the fiercely contested by-election won by Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) candidate Sammy Douglas Kamau Waweru, now joins the commission responsible for coordinating the restoration and rehabilitation of the Nairobi River Basin. The same Gazette notice also revoked the appointment of Amos Chege Mugo from the commission.
The appointment comes just days after President Ruto met Muchina at State House following the Ol Kalou contest, fueling speculation that the government would find him a role despite his electoral defeat. Political observers are likely to interpret the move as part of the President’s strategy to retain key allies within government structures after the by-election setback.
As a member of the Nairobi Rivers Commission, Muchina will help oversee environmental restoration programmes, coordinate stakeholders involved in river rehabilitation, and support initiatives aimed at transforming Nairobi’s river system into a cleaner and more sustainable ecosystem.