Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua during a campaign for his candidate for Narok Town Ward Douglas Masikonde/HANDOUTChaos broke out in Narok town after Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua’s visit to drum up support for his party’s candidate, Douglas Masikonde.
The incident unfolded on the final day of campaigns ahead of the hotly contested Narok Town Ward by-election scheduled for November 27.
A heavy police presence was visible across the town long before Gachagua’s arrival, with officers mounting a major roadblock along the main road leading into Narok.
Despite the visible attempt to restrict movement, Gachagua and his entourage managed to access the town, though tensions quickly escalated.
Barely five minutes into his address, the rally was abruptly disrupted when tear gas canisters were hurled into the gathering, sending supporters scattering and bringing the meeting to an abrupt halt.
Gachagua later took to his social media platforms, accusing authorities of issuing “clear instructions” to block him from accessing Narok Town Ward.
“The people, a people united, are stronger than all roadblocks, than all bullets, than all stones, than all teargas you have in store and than any dictator in the world,” he wrote.
He further explained how he managed to bypass the police barriers, crediting local residents for guiding him through alternative village pathways unknown to security officers.
“Being a villager, I engaged my fellow villagers in Narok who guided me through village paths…and made a triumphant entry into Narok town, received by thousands of jubilant DCP supporters,” he said, adding defiantly: “How can you beat me in my game?”
He thanked residents — particularly the youth — for standing firm during the chaotic scenes. “The will of the people shall never be subverted at any given moment,” he said.
The by-election to fill the seat left vacant after the death of MCA Lukas Kudate in February has become a critical battleground for political parties.
The ruling UDA party has fronted Robert Kanyinke Ole Kudate, the late MCA’s firstborn son, in a move seen as both sentimental and strategically unifying.
UDA officials successfully persuaded other aspirants, including the late MCA’s widow, Sarah, to step aside and support him.
DCP has placed its hopes on Masikonde, who has emerged as the party’s strongest mobilizer in the ward and enjoys clear backing from Gachagua’s political machinery.
Meanwhile, Jubilee’s Joshua Kaputa remains a key contender, appealing to voters loyal to the party’s traditional networks and presenting himself as a stable, familiar alternative.
