In a dramatic and troubling turn of events, a political gathering attended by allies of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua was violently disrupted on Saturday afternoon after police lobbed teargas canisters at the crowd, sparking chaos and injuries.
The meeting, which was convened in Gilgil town by Gachagua’s political allies under the Democracy for the Citizens’ Party (DCP), saw tensions escalate when a contingent of police officers moved in to disperse the crowd.
Leading the address was Nyandarua Senator John Methu, who had just begun engaging residents when teargas filled the air.
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According to footage shared by Kenyans.co.ke, one individual was left injured, bleeding from the leg after reportedly being hit during the melee.
Images showed the injured man seated on the ground, clutching his wound as the confusion unfolded around him.
Other visuals captured from the scene and widely circulated online revealed running battles between the police and agitated residents, who responded to the tear gas with a volley of stones.
While the precise reason for the police crackdown remains unclear, leaders from the DCP and the opposition swiftly condemned the action, terming it an “illegal and cowardly act of political suppression.”
In a strongly-worded statement, the DCP accused the police of acting under unlawful instructions from higher authorities, framing the disruption as a blatant assault on Kenya’s democratic values.
“What happened in Gilgil was not only unlawful but a direct attack on democracy and an archaic mutilation of the Constitution of Kenya,” read part of the statement.
The party referenced the Constitution and the Political Parties Act, affirming their right to freely organise, engage, and mobilise support across the country without state interference.
“These repeated and planned acts of intimidation and suppression against our party, DCP, must be called out and stopped,” the statement added.
Opposition leaders further called on the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to move swiftly and hold to account those responsible for what they termed “state-sponsored intimidation.”
“Despite numerous efforts to raise this issue through appropriate channels, there has been no accountability. If this trend of police brutality and interference continues, our supporters may be forced to respond and defend their rights within the bounds of the law,” they warned.
Saturday’s events add to growing concerns over shrinking democratic space in Kenya, as security agencies face criticism for allegedly being used to stifle dissent and control political expression.