By Joshua Otieno | April 12, 2026
KIKUYU, KENYA — National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah has accused former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua of orchestrating what he termed as “deliberate and organized” violence in Kikuyu constituency following a day of unrest on Saturday.
The clashes saw groups block sections of the Southern Bypass using trailers and bonfires, paralyzing transport and heightening tensions in the area. The chaos coincided with a planned rally by Gachagua’s Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP), which was later dispersed by police.
“The violence witnessed in our constituency today is organised and deliberate. It is not random chaos,” Ichung’wah said. “Rigathi Gachagua has spent the last week setting the stage for this violence so as to intimidate the people of Kikuyu.”
Security agencies maintained a heavy presence throughout Kikuyu Town, with police citing provisions of the Public Order Act to justify their intervention in dispersing crowds using tear gas and rubber bullets.
However, opposition leaders pushed back against the police narrative, alleging excessive use of force. Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka claimed that law enforcement officers intercepted their convoy at the Gitaru–Kikuyu Interchange in what he described as a targeted attack.
“You cannot teargas a nation’s conscience. This was a deliberate and sustained attack using live and rubber bullets,” Musyoka said, adding that several supporters and members of the media sustained injuries during the confrontation.
In response to the escalating tensions, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen directed the Inspector General of Police to arrest any individuals found financing or facilitating criminal gangs. He dismissed claims of state involvement as attempts to gain political sympathy.
The directive has, however, triggered legal challenges from civil society organizations, including the Katiba Institute and the Kenya Human Rights Commission, which have moved to court seeking to have the CS declared unfit for office. The groups argue that his statements risk encouraging police excesses and undermine constitutional principles.
The competing claims from political leaders and civil society underscore growing tensions ahead of future political activities, with authorities under pressure to restore order while safeguarding constitutional rights.
Investigations into the events are ongoing as security agencies seek to establish responsibility for the violence.
