The former Deputy President, who has intensified his campaign against President William Ruto’s bid for a second term in 2027, said officers deployed to the area attempted to block him from addressing residents.
Part of Gachagua’s motorcade was subjected to teargas as crowds gathered in Kagio town to listen to him.
Several opposition figures from the Mount Kenya region accompanied him, including Nyandarua Senator John Methu, who later praised locals for what he described as “resilience in the face of intimidation.”
Posting on X shortly after the confrontation, Gachagua claimed that officers fired both teargas and live rounds in an attempt to break up the rally.
He accused the state of using violence and intimidation to curtail the opposition’s activities ahead of the 2027 general election.
“Despite live ammunition, teargas, vandalism of our equipment and state-sponsored militia brutality, we have reached the heart of Kirinyaga,” he wrote.
“The people of Kirinyaga are united in the pursuit of change on August 10, 2027.”
The confrontation came a day after Gachagua held a separate event in Nyeri, where he accused the government of mismanaging national institutions, failing to curb corruption and using force against political critics.
He argued that Kenyans wanted a leadership that respects the rule of law and protects public assets.
The DCP leader’s tour has once again thrust Mount Kenya’s political realignments into the spotlight.
Gachagua has been pushing for a regional coalition to mount a strong challenge against President Ruto, positioning himself as the figurehead of that movement.
However, Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru has dismissed any possibility of joining Gachagua.
Speaking during the groundbreaking of the KMTC Kirinyaga Central Campus on December 5, 2025, the governor said she had no plans to work with the former DP, citing his impeachment in October 2024, which barred him from seeking elective office under the 2010 Constitution.
“I am not going to Wamunyoro; don’t wait for me there,” Waiguru said, arguing that leaders must have clear political pathways if they expect to influence the region’s future.
He accused the state of using violence and intimidation to curtail the opposition’s activities ahead of the 2027 general election.
“Despite live ammunition, teargas, vandalism of our equipment and state-sponsored militia brutality, we have reached the heart of Kirinyaga,” he wrote.
“The people of Kirinyaga are united in the pursuit of change on August 10, 2027.”
The confrontation came a day after Gachagua held a separate event in Nyeri, where he accused the government of mismanaging national institutions, failing to curb corruption and using force against political critics.
He argued that Kenyans wanted a leadership that respects the rule of law and protects public assets.
The DCP leader’s tour has once again thrust Mount Kenya’s political realignments into the spotlight.
Gachagua has been pushing for a regional coalition to mount a strong challenge against President Ruto, positioning himself as the figurehead of that movement.
However, Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru has dismissed any possibility of joining Gachagua.
Speaking during the groundbreaking of the KMTC Kirinyaga Central Campus on December 5, 2025, the governor said she had no plans to work with the former DP, citing his impeachment in October 2024, which barred him from seeking elective office under the 2010 Constitution.
“I am not going to Wamunyoro; don’t wait for me there,” Waiguru said, arguing that leaders must have clear political pathways if they expect to influence the region’s future.