NAIROBI,Kenya,Jul 23- Former Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria has challenged Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua to provide evidence backing claims that he was involved in planning violence during the recent Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election.
Kuria, a key ally of President William Ruto in the Mt Kenya region, dismissed Gachagua’s allegations as baseless, saying repeated accusations without proof would not change the facts.
“Dear Rigathi Gachagua. Even if you accuse me 1000 times of planning violence (like you have done again today in Ol Kalou) without proof it will not wash,” Kuria said in a statement.
The former Cabinet Secretary revisited his long-running political differences with Gachagua, saying he had warned him in 2020 and 2021 against dissolving Mt Kenya’s political bargaining power into the United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
“I warned you we as a community do not go into a coalition without our party. You fought me. I said we don’t go to a dowry negotiation while boarding the bridegroom’s Mercedes. You fought all other parties other than UDA,” Kuria said.
He added that he would not oppose Gachagua’s growing political influence in the region, saying DCP was free to field candidates across Mt Kenya and that he had no intention of contesting any elective seat.
“Today I let you be yet again. You can have DCP candidates all over Mt Kenya. I will not even vie for any seat myself. But it will end up in tears. Now that you are the undisputed King, cut me the slack and give me some peace. We watch you for the next 12 months, Muthamaki,” he said.
Kuria’s remarks came days after UDA suffered a humiliating defeat in the Ol Kalou by-election despite deploying significant political resources and high-profile leaders to campaign for its candidate, Samuel Muchina Nyagah.
The outcome cemented DCP’s growing dominance in the Mt Kenya region after its candidate, Sammy Douglas Kamau Waweru, won the seat by a landslide with 35,440 votes against Nyagah’s 5,450.
Ahead of the July 17 poll, Gachagua had publicly accused Kuria and other Kenya Kwanza-allied leaders of plotting to ferry armed groups into Ol Kalou to disrupt the election.
“I am asking Moses Kuria not to bring goons to Ol Kalou. Let the people of Ol Kalou choose their leader peacefully,” Gachagua said at the time, although he did not present evidence to support the allegation.
The by-election was later marred by violence at several polling stations, where armed and hooded individuals disrupted voting.
Journalists covering the exercise were also attacked, while they fired tear gas to disperse crowds.
The incidents prompted the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to launch investigations into the violence.
In a statement issued on July 20, the DCI said detectives were pursuing all credible leads through forensic examination of available evidence, analysis of digital material, witness interviews and other investigative methods to identify those responsible.
“The DCI affirms that all persons found to have planned, financed, incited or participated in the criminal acts will be brought to justice. No individual will be exempt from the due process of the law on account of status, position or political affiliation,” the agency said.