Gachagua confronts IG Kanja as he demands arrests after Murang’a chaos
Former DP Rigathi Gachagua. File photo
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua wants a section of police officers and alleged goons arrested for violence in Murang’a.
He also warned Inspector General of Police (IG) Douglas Kanja that justice will catch up with him.
In a strongly worded post via Facebook and X from the US, Mr Gachagua claimed that state-backed militia and rogue officers beat churchgoers and leaders after service.
The chaos happened at Ngonda Shopping Centre in Kigumo, Murang’a County, on Sunday afternoon. Videos show police firing tear gas and live bullets at crowds trying to flee the scene.
Nyandarua Senator John Methu’s car was hit by what appears to be live ammunition.
Lawyer Njiru Ndegwa and other opposition figures were also caught up in the violence.
Mr Gachagua said the incident mirrors tactics used by long-gone African dictators.
“You have now joined ranks with Mobutu, Idi Amin, and Sani Abacha,” he wrote.
He added that Kenya is not ready to return to such dark political times.
Mr Gachagua blamed President William Ruto for violating the Constitution and assaulting Kenya’s democratic soul.
“You never supported the 2010 Constitution. You are still mutilating it,” he wrote.
He also accused police of acting under political instructions to attack dissenting voices.
Churchgoers reportedly scattered as police lobbed teargas inside Ngonda market and its surroundings. Some youths were injured. No fatalities were reported by press time.
Opposition figures say the crackdown is part of a wider scheme to silence critics. They accuse the state of using violence to stop rival political camps from organising.
Civil society groups are calling for an independent probe into the Ngonda incident.
Legal experts say the use of force raises serious constitutional and human rights concerns.
The Constitution guarantees freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly—even after church.
This is not the first time such violence has been reported at opposition events.
The Sunday chaos comes days after Gen Z protests rocked several towns across the country.
Gachagua’s post has added fuel to an already tense political climate.
He now brands himself as the voice of the people abandoned by the Kenya Kwanza regime.
