KAMAU GATHUNGU TAKES COMMANDING LEAD IN NDARAGWA MP RACE AS DEVELOPMENT RECORD RESONATES WITH VOTERS

Incumbent Leshau Pondo MCA commands 25 per cent support in new Swiss Poll International survey, emerging as the frontrunner in the contest for the Ndaragwa parliamentary seat.

Leshau Pondo Ward MCA Kamau Gathungu has taken an early lead in the race for the Ndaragwa parliamentary seat, with a new opinion poll by Swiss Poll International placing him at the top of the field with 25 per cent voter support.

Gathungu, who currently serves as the area Member of County Assembly (MCA), garnered 1,017 votes out of the 4,064 respondents sampled, putting him ahead of eight other contenders in the survey released on November 3, 2026.

His growing political appeal is closely associated with his development record in Leshau Pondo Ward, where he has been involved in advancing local development priorities and championing initiatives aimed at improving the welfare of residents.

Over his tenure as MCA, Gathungu has built his political profile around grassroots engagement and development-oriented leadership, with his experience at the county assembly providing a platform to articulate the needs of his constituents and pursue interventions that respond to local challenges.

His emergence at the top of the Ndaragwa opinion poll suggests that his political ambitions are gaining traction beyond his current ward, with a section of the electorate seemingly recognising his leadership experience and development credentials.

The survey places Gathungu ahead of his closest challenger, Ikua Mbote, who garnered 20.7 per cent, equivalent to 841 votes. Hon Gitau Njamba came third with 17.4 per cent (708 votes), while George Gachagua secured fourth position with 12.1 per cent (490 votes).

Kamau Njambi followed with 11.5 per cent, Jakes Macharia Chege with 5.3 per cent, CPA Karoki with 4.8 per cent and Mwangi Kagwe with 1.9 per cent. Undecided respondents accounted for 1.3 per cent.

Gathungu's 4.3-percentage-point advantage over Mbote gives him an encouraging head start in what is shaping up to be a competitive political contest.

For the incumbent MCA, the challenge will be to translate his current support into a broader constituency-wide political movement while sustaining the development-focused approach that has characterised his leadership in Leshau Pondo.

His transition from ward-level representation to the parliamentary contest also presents an opportunity to demonstrate how his experience in grassroots leadership can be translated into broader constituency development.

Swiss Poll International reported a sample size of 4,064 respondents, a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points and a confidence level of 95 per cent.

While opinion polls provide a snapshot of voter preferences at a particular moment, Gathungu's leading position places him firmly at the centre of the unfolding Ndaragwa parliamentary contest.

As political activity gradually intensifies, attention will increasingly turn to the candidates' development records, policy proposals, grassroots networks and capacity to articulate a compelling vision for the constituency.