The air around Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) was heavy with expectation on Thursday morning as police units rolled in ahead of the much-anticipated return of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
By dawn, truckloads of GSU regular and anti-riot squads had taken position, their presence a clear sign that the State was not taking chances. Water cannons loomed at the airport gates, a silent warning of how quickly celebrations could turn chaotic.
Supporters of Gachagua began trickling in early, waving flags and chanting slogans as they waited for their political leader to jet back from the United States. By 8:30 a.m., calm prevailed, but the atmosphere was anything but ordinary. Police patrols tightened checks at every exit and entry point, keeping the mood tense but orderly.
A handful of Gachagua’s allies, among them former Limuru MP Peter Mwathi, had already taken their places at the arrivals section. Traffic around JKIA remained smooth, though unmistakably slowed by heavy security screening.
The government, however, was not hiding its apprehension. On Tuesday, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen had made it clear that security agencies were on high alert. He accused Gachagua’s camp of plotting disruptions, warning that the State would not hesitate to crush lawlessness.
“ We are aware of elements threatening disruptions,” Murkomen said. “The security sector is prepared. Every other minute, the National Police Service stands ready to protect citizens and their property.”
Yet, the other side was just as defiant. On Monday, DCP Deputy Leader Cleophas Malala promised what he called the “mother of all peaceful processions.” The plan, he said, was to escort Gachagua from JKIA into the heart of Nairobi’s CBD, culminating in a rally at the symbolic Kamkunji Grounds.
With the government bracing for trouble and Gachagua’s loyalists promising a political spectacle, JKIA became the stage for a showdown one that could either pass as a peaceful homecoming or explode into a fresh test of Kenya’s fragile political calm.
