Editor's Review

Rigathi Gachagua said he was forced to cancel the Kamukunji rally to avert the deaths of his supporters.

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has opened up on why he cancelled his planned rally at Kamukunji grounds during his return from the United States (US) on August 21. 

Speaking on Tuesday, August 26, Gachagua explained that he was forced to cancel the rally to avert deaths among his supporters.

The former DP claimed that there was a coordinated plan involving police officers in civilian and hired goons to ambush him and his supporters.

“When I analyzed the situation, I said, let’s cancel going to Jogoo because I don’t want people to die in my name. I don’t want women to be hurt, even journalists. A lot of violence was meted out against us,” said Gachagua.

He also alleged that a civilian aircraft with police officers was hovering in the air, coordinating with other officers on the ground, monitoring his movement.

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  3. CS Murkomen Breaks Silence After Attack on Gachagua Convoy

DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua with his supporters.

According to Gachagua, he had intended to use the Nairobi Expressway before heading to Kamukunji, but the police blocked him.

“I am a responsible leader. When I assessed the situation and realized that a lot of force had been mobilized, policemen in civilian clothes with guns accompanied by goons with knives, pangas, and rocks, and a civilian aircraft with police was hovering in the air, coordinating with officers on the ground, giving them our movement. I wanted to pass through the Expressway, but the police blocked me so that I could go to where the trap had been set,” Gachagua added.

The DCP party leader also alleged that there was an assassination attempt against him at the Pipeline area while he was on his way from JKIA.

Gachagua warned that his assassination would have plunged the country into civil war.

“They wanted to kill me at Pipeline; they took a big boulder and dropped it on my car, but I escaped death by a whisker. I think they wanted to kill me. What Murkomen should know is that, if he had killed me, there would be no country; there would be a civil war," Gachagua alleged.

On Thursday, August 21, Gachagua’s motorcade was attacked around the City Cabanas area along Mombasa Road after rowdy youths pelted stones.

Security forces intervened and lobbed teargas canisters to bring the situation under control and ensure the safety of the political leaders and their supporters.

Multiple people, including Citizen and TV 47's journalists, were injured during the chaotic scenes that forced the former Deputy President's procession to halt.

Speaking after the attack, Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen said police officers were not aware of the procession.

"The police were not aware of what was going to happen, which route, which place. The law says you notify the police, not so that the police can give you the right to hold meetings. No, it's just for the police to provide security and to give the right security advice to the citizens of Kenya,” said Murkomen.