A public meeting attended by allies of former Deputy President and Democratic Change Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua in Gilgil town, Nakuru County, ended in chaos on Saturday after police officers hurled teargas canisters to disperse the gathering.
The incident sparked a fiery reaction from Gachagua, who directly accused President William Ruto and Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen of using state machinery to suppress dissent.
“Once again, our team’s public participation meeting was rudely disrupted by the police, following clear instructions from Mr. William Ruto and his protégé Kipchumba Murkomen,” Gachagua said in a statement issued shortly after the fracas.
He warned that Kenya was dangerously veering off the democratic path.
“Mr. Ruto’s fear of the unknown is gradually steering our country towards a dictatorial path, where suppression and intimidation are becoming the tools of his playbook,” he charged.
Despite the deployment of security forces and the tear gas assault, Gachagua maintained that the disruption had only fueled their resolve.
“Despite these cowardly actions by this failed regime, our resilience and commitment have shone brighter than ever,” he declared.
“To our team, it is always darkest before dawn. We will rewrite the wrongs and restore sanity to governance. Keep up the good work. Kenyans are ticking the box!”
Gachagua ended his statement by thanking Gilgil residents for standing firm in the face of state intimidation: “Asanteni sana watu wa Gilgil town, Nakuru County!”
The police have yet to issue an official explanation for the forceful dispersal, even as tensions continue to mount between the government and dissenting political voices.
