Political tensions escalated sharply in Ol Kalou, Nyandarua County, after Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua traded accusations over alleged violence, abductions, and intimidation linked to ongoing political activities in the region.
The confrontation began when Gachagua accused the government of deploying security-linked operatives to disrupt Democratic Congress Party (DCP) activities, alleging that a group he termed a “killer squad” had been sent to the area.
“They arrived three hours ago and started abductions and indiscriminate beatings on DCP campaigners,” Gachagua claimed, further alleging that some of his team members were trapped at Royal Garden Hotel under siege by police and unidentified groups.
He described the situation as “state-sponsored intimidation” and warned of worsening tensions if security operations continued.
Interior CS Murkomen strongly denied the allegations, accusing Gachagua of incitement and political theatrics.
“Mr Rigathi Gachagua, we know your gimmicks and juvenile attempts at reverse psychology. Try violence in Ol Kalou and you will see,” Murkomen said, adding that security agencies would act firmly against any attempts to disrupt public order.
He further cautioned against mobilising supporters into violence, warning of “dire consequences” for those involved in unlawful activities.
Amid the political exchanges, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) has previously documented a worrying rise in abductions and enforced disappearances across the country.
In its official press statement, the Commission reported:
“There have been thirteen (13) more cases of abductions or enforced disappearances in the last three (3) months bringing to eighty-two (82) the total cases since June 2024. Seven (7) of the recent abduction cases were reported in the month of December 2024 with six (6) of them still missing, bringing to twenty-nine (29) the total number of persons still missing since June 2024.”
The Commission further warned that the pattern of disappearances risked undermining constitutional rights and public trust in security institutions, noting that many of the victims were linked to political expression, protests, or online dissent.
KNCHR has consistently urged the National Police Service to investigate all reported cases, identify perpetrators, and ensure accountability for any unlawful detentions or disappearances.
Human rights organisations, including KNCHR, the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), and other rights groups, have repeatedly raised concern over what they describe as a persistent pattern of enforced disappearances, excessive use of force, and arbitrary arrests.
They have called for independent investigations into all reported abductions, protection of constitutional rights during political campaigns, accountability for security agencies implicated in misconduct and an end to political intolerance and incitement.
Civil society groups warn that failure to address the allegations risks deepening mistrust between citizens and state institutions, particularly during politically charged periods such as by-elections.
