A peaceful "Linda Mwananchi" rally turned chaotic on Sunday as police deployed teargas against ODM leaders, sparking widespread condemnation of state heavy-handedness.
What began as a routine political engagement in Narok quickly turned tense, after teargas was lobbed into a crowd attending Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna’s Linda Mwananchi rally.
The incident briefly interrupted the gathering, sending sections of the crowd into confusion as smoke spread through the area. Despite the disruption, Sifuna and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino remained at the scene, urging supporters to stay calm.
Earlier in the day, the leaders had attended a church service at Covenant Church International (CCI) Ntulele before heading to Narok Town for the rally, which had drawn a sizeable crowd.
Tensions had already been building ahead of the event, with reports that police had ordered the removal of sound equipment, raising concerns about whether the rally would proceed as planned. Sifuna’s team, however, maintained that the gathering had been properly communicated to authorities.
Following the teargas incident, the rally resumed shortly after, with the leaders continuing to address supporters even as smoke lingered and light rain fell.
This crackdown is not an isolated event. It follows a series of disruptions targeting opposition rallies in recent months. Critics argue that the state is weaponizing the police service to silence legitimate political competition ahead of the 2027 election cycle.
The teargassing has likely emboldened the opposition rather than cowed them. Images of a defiant Sifuna and Babu emerging from the smoke have already been converted into campaign iconography. By using force, the state may have inadvertently handed the ODM faction a powerful visual metaphor for their struggle.
As political temperatures rise, the National Police Service faces renewed pressure to demonstrate neutrality. Sunday’s events suggest that for now, the force remains a blunt instrument in a delicate political surgical operation.
