Events at a function in Gilgil Town attended by Nyandarua Senator John Methu and former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua allies on Saturday took a dramatic turn after teargas canisters were hauled to attendees.
According to the Nyandarua Senator, the disruption was unprovoked. “You can teargas us all you want but we shall not relent,” he said.
Photos seen by Julisha.co.ke show people fleeing the scene as tear gas fills the air. Gachagua allies have accused the government of using the police to disrupt their meeting.
The leaders had gathered in Gilgil for a peaceful forum, but the event was disrupted by security officers, sparking condemnation from their supporters.
The former Deputy President condemned the incident, stating that his team’s public participation meeting was abruptly disrupted by the police, allegedly acting on clear instructions.
“Despite these cowardly actions by this failed regime, our resilience and commitment have shone brighter than ever,” read part of his statement.
He urged his team to stay hopeful, reminding them that it is always darkest before dawn, and encouraged them to remain committed to rewriting the wrongs and restoring sanity to governance.
Just a few days ago, the leaders were teargassed by police in Kigumo, Murang’a county, on Sunday, July 27, 2025.
The leaders said they don’t understand why police used extreme force on them, yet they were not doing something illegal.
Addressing the press in Murang’a, they claimed a local leader had ordered the police to attack them and stop them from addressing any gathering in the area.
The leaders, including Murang’a Senator Joe Nyutu, his Nyandarua counterpart John Methu, Naivasha MP Jayne Kihara, former Kigumo MP Jamleck Kamau, Ndegwa Njirua and Cleophas Malala, had attended a church service at AIPCA in Kinyona hosted by MP Joseph Munyoro.
Methu said that after leaving the church, they found police officers waiting for them outside. The officers directed them to follow a certain route.
“We wanted to know where that route would lead us to, but instead of responding, they started lobbing teargas canisters at us and shooting at us,” he said.
“We later learned that we were being led into a trap where we would be ambushed, attacked and probably killed.”
Methu wondered why the police, which claims to be independent, was being used by pro-government leaders to fight those in the opposition.
He added that the area Woman Representative, Betty Mania, had warned them that she won’t allow them to hold any meeting in her backyard.
Nyutu claimed that the officers were acting on ‘orders from above’, adding that even during the church service, there was a chopper monitoring them.
“If they can get a chopper to monitor our activities, it seems they care to know what we are doing,” said Nyutu.
Nyutu, however, said no amount of intimidation will make them bow down, adding that they will continue calling out the government for its poor leadership
“Let it be known that we are not going to be silenced, not by bullets or any kind of intimidation,” he added.
He called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate crimes against humanity being perpetrated by the government and hold President William Ruto accountable.
Former Machakos Town MP Vitor Munyaka claimed that the police had clear orders to kill them, adding that the bullet holes in their vehicles indicate that they were being targeted.
“My vehicle was shot at three times, and my driver was injured, and this only implies that I was a target,” he said.
Kamau said the use of live bullets was a clear message from the government to the opposition leaders.
“Sometime back the president had vowed that no blood will be shed in the country because of politics,” said Kamau.
Munyoro condemned the attack, saying they are being used to intimidate those in opposition. He however, said they won’t stop talking and telling people the things they need to know.
