Ruto Appoints Former Ol Kalou Candidate Samuel Muchina Nyaga to Nairobi Rivers Commission

President William Ruto has appointed former Ol Kalou parliamentary candidate Samuel Muchina Nyaga as a member of the Nairobi Rivers Commission, barely two weeks after he lost the fiercely contested Ol Kalou by-election.

The appointment was made through a Special Issue of the Kenya Gazette dated July 22, 2026, in which the Head of State formally named Muchina to the commission with immediate effect.

According to Gazette Notice No. 11217, the appointment was made pursuant to Gazette Notice No. 13907 of 2024, the Environmental Management and Co-ordination Act, the Climate Change Act, and Section 51(1) of the Interpretation and General Provisions Act.

“It is notified for the general information of the public that, pursuant to Gazette Notice No. 13907 of 2024, as read together with Section 51(1) of the Interpretation and General Provisions Act, I, William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces, appoint Samuel Muchina Nyaga to be a Member of the Nairobi Rivers Commission, with effect from the 22nd July, 2026.”

The notice further states that the appointment of Amos Chege Mugo to the commission has been revoked.

Muchina was the Kenya Kwanza-allied candidate in the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election, which was held earlier this month following the death of area MP David Kiaraho. He, however, lost the race to Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) candidate Samuel Kamau Ngotho in an election that was widely viewed as a major political contest in the Mt. Kenya region.

The by-election attracted significant national attention, with senior leaders from both the Kenya Kwanza administration and the opposition pitching camp in Nyandarua County as they sought to influence the outcome. The victory by DCP was interpreted by political analysts as a significant boost for the opposition in the region.

Muchina's appointment comes at a time when the government continues to make changes in public institutions through appointments and reconstitutions of boards and commissions.