Jubilee Party Deputy Organizing Secretary Pauline Njoroge has condemned the use of tear gas during the Linda Mwananchi rally held Saturday at Amalemba Grounds in Kakamega, declaring that public mobilization cannot be suppressed by force.
In a statement after attending the rally, Njoroge described the disruption as evidence of outdated tactics being used against citizens exercising democratic rights.
She insisted that the political environment has changed and Kenyans are no longer willing to be silenced.
She insisted that the political environment has changed and Kenyans are no longer willing to be silenced.
“This is a different dispensation. The era of silencing citizens with tear gas is over. You cannot gas away public consciousness. You cannot suppress a generation that is awake,” she said.
The rally, part of the opposition-backed Linda Mwananchi mobilisation drive, was briefly interrupted when police lobbed tear gas to disperse sections of the crowd.
Leaders and supporters regrouped and continued with the meeting despite the disruption.
Njoroge praised attendees for remaining steadfast, saying the resilience demonstrated on the ground reflected a growing civic awareness among citizens.
“Ikirushwa inafunikwa na mkutano inaendelea,” loosely translated to mean that even when tear gas is fired, the meeting continues.
She also expressed solidarity with Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, whose allies spearheaded the rally, framing the movement as one driven by principle rather than political convenience.
“Sisi Ndio Sifuna is about courage and conviction,” she stated.
The Kakamega event is the latest in a series of opposition rallies aimed at addressing economic hardships, governance concerns, and civil liberties.
Saturday’s confrontation has intensified debate over police conduct, freedom of assembly, and the widening political contestation ahead of the 2027 elections.
The rally was attended by various politicians including Siaya governor James Orengo, Nairobi senator Edwin Sifuna, Vihiga senator Geoffrey Osotsi Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, Saboti MP Caleb Amisi among others.