Deputy Party Leader of the DCP Party, Cleophas Malala has made explosive claims that plainclothes police officers were involved in the violent attack on the opposition convoy in Chwele, Bungoma County, during a tour by Rigathi Gachagua on Friday, July 4, 2025.
Speaking the following day at the burial of Gachagua’s maternal aunt in Mathira, Nyeri County, Malala said that the officers, disguised as civilians, were part of the group that targeted the former Deputy President’s vehicle during the Democracy for Citizens (DCP) rally.
Yesterday, we almost lost the life of our leader, Gachagua,” Malala told mourners.
“We were seated together in one car. Youths lined the roads, and some of them were police officers in plain clothes. They were armed with guns and tried to aim at the DP’s car. The car was hit with a stone on the side where Gachagua was seated.”
The stoning incident, which damaged several cars in the convoy, has sparked political outrage. Gachagua was touring Kimilili to rally support for the United Opposition ahead of the 2027 general election.
Malala Warns Ruto: “Do Not Touch Gachagua”
Malala didn’t mince words in his warning to President William Ruto, accusing the government of deploying force under the guise of civilian unrest.
“Ruto, be warned, if you touch Gachagua, you have touched the leader of Kenyans,” he declared.
“You claim to be arresting goons, but your own officers are in civilian clothing, armed and among the attackers.”
He further claimed that while Gachagua’s security detail ran out of ammunition, the attackers — whom he alleged included both goons and armed plainclothes officers — remained well-equipped.
Gachagua Condemns Violence, Calls for Accountability
In a separate statement released after the attack, Rigathi Gachagua condemned the violence and reaffirmed his party’s stand against brutality.
“The people of Kimilili Constituency in Bungoma County have spoken loudly and clearly: violence and extrajudicial killings have no place in our society,” Gachagua said.
“Governments that thrive on violence are short-lived and lack legitimacy.”
Gachagua, who leads the newly formed Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP), has grown increasingly critical of the current administration, despite once being Ruto’s close ally. His opposition tours in the western region have drawn large crowds but also heightened political tensions.
Mounting Political Pressure
The incident adds to a growing list of security concerns and political hostility directed at opposition figures, amid an already tense lead-up to 2027. Gachagua’s supporters have denounced what they describe as state-sponsored intimidation, while government officials have not officially commented on Malala’s claims.
Photos shared on Gachagua’s official platforms showed shattered windows and dented vehicles from the Friday stoning, allegedly carried out by unknown individuals armed with batons, stones, and crude weapons.
As the political temperature rises, questions continue to swirl around the state’s role in ensuring the safety and freedom of opposition leaders.
