Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua has been teargassed in Kikuyu following a heavy standoff with police officers as he attempted to address a gathering of youth.
According to reports, the situation quickly escalated into chaos after an unidentified individual reportedly stormed the rally carrying a sack of bees, triggering panic among supporters.
Reports indicate that the individual carrying the bees’ sack was seriously injured after being stabbed in the ensuing commotion.
However, during the commotion, Gachagua and his supporters remained defiant, staying at the same spot where teargas canisters had been lobbed.
In a video seen by Whisperswire, he was seen instructing his supporters to use water to wash off the effects of the teargas smoke.
According to earlier reports, officers also fired shots into the air in an attempt to push back the crowd, as tensions continued to rise in the town centre just minutes before Gachagua and his opposition counterparts arrived.
They moved in to contain the situation, blocking key access roads into Kikuyu Town as Gachagua’s supporters remained defiant, chanting party slogans and demanding to be addressed by their leader.
Commenting on the incident, Gachagua claimed that goonism had become entrenched in government operations, alleging that criminal gangs were increasingly being deployed to suppress dissent and intimidate political opponents.
He reportedly further accused President William Ruto’s administration of normalising the use of such groups, claiming they now operate in coordination with elements within the National Police Service.
