Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has accused President William Ruto’s administration of orchestrating violence during the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election, alleging that rogue police officers and hired goons were deployed after attempts to sway voters failed.
In a blistering statement following the poll, Gachagua claimed the government had been overwhelmingly rejected by voters and resorted to intimidation in a bid to secure victory for the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidate.
“Mr. William Ruto and his homeboys have gone berserk. Totally rejected by the people of Kenya, they have mobilized rogue police officers and goons to terrorize the very people who gave them power,” Gachagua said.
He alleged that hooded police officers and armed gangs attacked voters in broad daylight during the by-election, claiming one person was killed and 20 others critically injured.
According to Gachagua, the violence was intended to force residents to vote for the UDA candidate but ultimately failed.
He further claimed that some officers fired at civilians from the rooftops of high-end sports utility vehicles, describing the alleged incident as unprecedented.
“When their bribery mission targeting Ol Kalou voters failed, they embarked on causing havoc to disrupt the counting of votes, but the voters occupied the polling stations and barricaded them with their bodies,” he said.
The former deputy president alleged that local police commanders had been instructed not to interfere with the activities of what he termed a “rogue squad.”
He also took aim at Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, accusing him of misleading Kenyans after the CS described the by-election as peaceful and called for investigations into isolated incidents.
Gachagua dismissed the government’s position, alleging that the attacks were state-sponsored and further claimed that vehicles used by the alleged attackers belonged to an individual identified as Hon. Kawanjiku. He did not provide evidence to support the allegation.
The government has consistently denied accusations of sponsoring political violence, maintaining that security agencies acted professionally during the Ol Kalou by-election.
The closely contested by-election was widely viewed as a political test ahead of the 2027 General Election, attracting intense interest from both the Kenya Kwanza administration and the opposition.
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