Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has pressed ahead with his political mobilisation tour of Nakuru, turning the second day of his visit into a fresh assault on his former Kenya Kwanza allies and a test of the Democracy for Citizens Party’s (DCP) reach beyond Mt Kenya.
Gachagua on Saturday visited Njoro, Elburgon, Turi, Molo, Kibunja and Rongai as he continued a two-day tour aimed at building the party’s grassroots structures ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The tour came a day after his convoy was attacked in Nakuru Town West, where several vehicles were damaged after stones were hurled at the motorcade.
Gachagua has condemned the incident and vowed that it would not stop his political activities.
The former Deputy President has blamed political opponents for the attack, allegations that have not been independently established, while his allies have demanded investigations into the incident.
Naivasha MP Jayne Kihara, who accompanied Gachagua, accused the Nakuru administration of using hired youths to disrupt opposition activities.
“We know there are goons on the Nakuru government payroll,” Ms Kihara said.
“We actually pay them with our taxes since they're on a payroll. It's unfortunate that since this is a competition, they should compete with us instead of beating us. There's no point in trying to kill us. Look at the destruction,” she said.
Ms Kihara added: “This is our country. It's just so stupid that those who lead this country think they can do it using goons.”
The allegations have opened another political front between the Opposition and the government, with Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen saying security agencies had been directed to deal firmly with those involved in political violence.
“The National Police Service has been instructed to arrest those causing chaos at political events,” Mr Murkomen said.
But instead of scaling down his activities, Gachagua used Saturday’s tour to deepen his campaign, seeking to establish DCP as a serious political vehicle ahead of the next election.
The former Deputy President has increasingly presented Nakuru as a key battleground and has said he wants an overwhelming share of the county’s vote as he seeks the presidency.
His visit also provided an opportunity to reopen his battle with Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, who has been cultivating support in Mt Kenya East.
Gachagua has repeatedly criticised Kindiki since their fallout in the Kenya Kwanza administration, accusing him of failing to stand by him before his impeachment.
The former Deputy President has also dismissed attempts by his former allies to weaken his influence in the Mt Kenya region.
The Nakuru tour comes at a time when DCP is seeking to expand its organisational base beyond Gachagua’s traditional political strongholds.
The party has been receiving politicians and aspirants from different parts of the country, with Gachagua recently saying the “DCP Party wave is sweeping across the Country” as more aspirants joined the outfit.
Saturday’s programme was therefore as much about party mobilisation as it was about demonstrating Gachagua’s ability to campaign in a county where President William Ruto and his allies retain significant political influence.
