What was meant to be a milestone moment for former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua turned chaotic on Thursday, as violence broke out during the launch of his new political party Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) in Nairobi.
The dramatic scenes unfolded at the party’s Lavington headquarters, where a group of unidentified, armed youths stormed the venue, throwing stones and sparking panic. Gachagua’s security team responded with warning shots fired into the air, but the situation escalated quickly, leaving at least three journalists injured in the fray.
Eyewitnesses claim that some members of Gachagua’s security detail confronted reporters, seizing their equipment and deleting recorded footage. The incident drew widespread condemnation from media circles and political observers alike.
Taking to his X account shortly after the disturbance, Gachagua pointed a finger at unnamed political opponents, accusing them of orchestrating the attack in a deliberate bid to derail his party’s debut. Without offering specifics, he described the violence as part of a familiar pattern of intimidation that has trailed him since breaking ranks with the ruling coalition.
“This was not an isolated act of thuggery,” Gachagua wrote. “It was a calculated attempt to intimidate our supporters and silence our movement.”
The former deputy president went on to link the Lavington chaos to several past incidents he says reflect a campaign of political repression. Among them: a disruption at a funeral in Limuru, an alleged assault on his wife and Christian congregants in Nyeri, and the use of tear gas at a prayer rally in Nyandarua.
Gachagua didn’t stop at blaming political forces he also took aim at the police, accusing security agencies of complicity. He claimed that officers not only failed to intervene during the latest attack but also provided cover for those behind the violence.
“Why have no arrests been made?” he asked, suggesting that investigations were being suppressed under political influence.
Despite the disruption, Gachagua vowed that the DCP would press on with its agenda, saying the violence had only strengthened their resolve to push for political change.
