Gachagua Accuses Senior Officials of Plotting to Disrupt His Narok Visit

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has accused senior government officials of organising violence to disrupt his planned visit to Emurua Dikirr in Narok County on Friday.

In a letter to Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, Gachagua alleged that Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo were funding Emurua Dikirr MP David Kipsang Keter to mobilise gangs and plain-clothes police officers against his entourage. He warned that the planned disruption could lead to violence on a scale greater than the clashes witnessed in Homa Bay last weekend, in which one person was killed and dozens were injured during an opposition rally.

Gachagua, who leads the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP), said he was travelling to Emurua Dikirr at the invitation of Vincent Rotich, the party's candidate in the May by-election. Rotich finished second to Keter, the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidate, in a contest that Gachagua has alleged was affected by rigging and voter manipulation.

The former deputy president said the visit was for a thanksgiving event and would demonstrate the DCP's growing support in an area that has traditionally backed President William Ruto and the UDA.

"My attention has been drawn to threats issued by the current Member of Parliament for Emurua Dikirr… that my entourage and I should not set foot in Emurua Dikirr," Gachagua wrote. 

He said the threats were supported by video evidence and media reports showing intimidation. Gachagua also accused Kanja of failing to control the National Police Service and alleged that police officers were being directed by civilian actors.

"It is either you are part of this scheme or you have absconded your duties," he said, claiming that he had previously submitted evidence of 24 attacks against him but that no action had been taken.

The dispute comes amid growing political tensions between Gachagua and the Kenya Kwanza administration. Since launching the DCP in May 2025, Gachagua has presented the party as an opposition vehicle ahead of the 2027 elections and has sought to challenge the UDA's influence in regions considered to be government strongholds.

The latest accusations also follow violence in Homa Bay, where opposition leaders allied to the Linda Mwananchi faction encountered road blockades and burning tyres during a rally. Police Constable Jim Richardson Onkundi was killed during the clashes after he was struck by a stone while driving a patrol vehicle. Dozens of other people were injured.

Onkundi had recently completed training for promotion to corporal. Colleagues described him as a dedicated officer whose career was cut short as he prepared to advance in rank.

The incident has raised concerns about the risks faced by police officers and civilians during opposition rallies. Police officers are sometimes viewed as partisan actors rather than neutral providers of security, increasing tensions between law enforcement and the public.

Senior police officers have called for greater tolerance and cooperation through community policing, warning that continued hostility could put both civilians and officers at greater risk.