NAIROBI, Kenya- Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has responded to DCP Leader Rigathi Gachagua following a heated exchange over the violence that disrupted a UDA meeting at Nembure Stadium in Embu County.
Kindiki rejected Gachagua’s assertion that residents were being bribed to attend political meetings and asked him to stop portraying the people of Mt Kenya negatively.
“Stop insulting our people. Nobody can bribe them to do anything they wouldn’t want to do,” Kindiki said.
The deputy president also dismissed suggestions that the government was attempting to divide Mt Kenya into eastern and western political blocs.
“No mountain will be divided, maybe in your evil dreams,” he said. “Me and you found the GEMA united; it will forever remain so.”
Kindiki argued that Mt Kenya did not require intervention from individual politicians to remain united and challenged Gachagua to present his policies ahead of the 2027 General Election.
“Wachana na Mountain, it has its ways of remaining intact. Tafuta sera, let’s meet at the ballot,” he said.
His response followed a strongly worded statement by Gachagua, who accused the deputy president of using government resources and political handouts to build support in Embu, Meru and Tharaka-Nithi counties.
Gachagua alleged that Kindiki had received Sh350 million from a contractor involved in the Nithi Bridge project to finance political mobilisation across Mt Kenya East.
He did not provide evidence supporting the accusation, and Kindiki did not directly address it in his response.
The DCP leader further argued that Saturday’s confrontation began after residents were denied entry to the UDA meeting at Nembure Stadium.
He said those outside the venue wanted access to money allegedly being distributed to delegates.
Gachagua also accused Kindiki of ordering police officers to confront residents and said two people were killed.
However, the National Police Service officially reported one death, several injuries and six vehicles torched during the violence.
Police said a group attempted to force its way into the meeting before officers intervened. Eastern Regional Police Commander Stephen Chebet said the Directorate of Criminal Investigations had formed a special team to identify those responsible.
Gachagua linked the incident to the political contest for Mt Kenya and maintained that attempts to divide the region would fail.
Kindiki rejected the accusation and warned Gachagua against drawing him into disputes involving other political leaders.
“You will soon realise how unwise it was to bring your fights with other people to me,” the deputy president said.
The exchange comes as political competition intensifies across Mt Kenya ahead of the 2027 elections, with both leaders asserting influence in the region following their fallout.
