NAIROBI, Kenya — The Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) has called on supporters to stage a massive reception for its leader, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, when he lands at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) this Thursday, August 21.
In a statement, DCP Deputy Party Leader Senator Cleophas Malala alleged that senior government officials, including Deputy President Kithure Kindiki and Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, had threatened to arrest Gachagua upon his arrival from an official tour of the United States.
Malala further claimed that intelligence reports received by the party indicated a “sinister” plan to poison Gachagua while in state custody — likening it to the ordeal faced by the late multi-party democracy icon Kenneth Matiba.
He alleged that the plot involved abducting, intimidating, and placing the former Deputy President under house arrest to silence his political voice.
“They want to kill his voice and his body at the same time,” Malala said. “If they dare lay a hand on him, the country will grind to a halt.”
The DCP also accused the government of planning to divert Gachagua’s flight to Mombasa or Kisumu International Airport to prevent him from addressing supporters in Nairobi.
National Assembly Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations Committee Chair Nelson Koech is quoted in the statement as revealing details of the alleged diversion plan.
The party warned that any attempt to change the flight path would be met with equally large mobilisations in Kisumu and Mombasa.
Gachagua’s US trip included meetings with Kenyan diaspora communities in Seattle, Boston, Dallas, Kansas City, and Baltimore, where he inaugurated DCP satellite offices in states such as Texas and Washington.
According to the party, the trip was aimed at rallying Kenyans abroad for political participation and encouraging them to return home to help rebuild the country.
The DCP claims the alleged threats are part of a wider state campaign to intimidate and weaken the opposition through violence and harassment.
The statement cited past incidents where opposition leaders were tear-gassed, assaulted, or blocked from public events in Kakamega, Subukia, Gilgil, Murang’a, and even in churches.
Malala urged supporters in Nairobi, Kisumu, and Mombasa to show up in “unprecedented numbers” to welcome Gachagua, describing the occasion as both a homecoming and a political statement.
“Your presence is your power, your numbers are your shield, your unity is our victory,” he said, adding that Gachagua had cut short his trip to lead the party in upcoming by-elections.
The DCP concluded by vowing to resist what it described as the “auctioning” of Kenya’s sovereignty, pledging to continue pushing for a government that serves citizens with “truth, dignity, and humility.”
Gachagua’s scheduled arrival is set for 12:00 p.m. Thursday at JKIA.
