Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka has sharply criticised President William Ruto following violent scenes that disrupted an opposition gathering in Kikuyu on Saturday, accusing the Head of State of deploying security forces to suppress dissent.
In a statement issued after the chaos at the Gitaru-Kikuyu Interchange, Kalonzo claimed the government responded to peaceful political activity with excessive force, including the use of live and rubber bullets as well as teargas.
Claims of excessive force
Kalonzo said that police targeted opposition leaders, their supporters, and members of the public who had gathered for the meeting led by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and allied opposition figures.
“Before the eyes of the entire world, you deployed the police… to fire live and rubber bullets at us and at Kenyans who were peaceful, exercising our constitutionally guaranteed rights,” he said.
He further claimed that teargas was lobbed indiscriminately, including into vehicles, describing the operation as a “direct and deliberate attempt” on the lives of opposition principals and civilians.
The Wiper leader framed the incident as a broader pattern of state repression, accusing the administration of turning security agencies into political tools.
Saturday’s unrest
The confrontation followed a tense morning in Kikuyu, where roads were barricaded by groups of youths, paralysing transport along key routes including the Southern Bypass.
Police later moved in to disperse crowds that had gathered for the opposition meeting, sparking running battles marked by teargas, gunshots in the air, and widespread panic.
Several people were reportedly injured in the chaos, while motorists and residents were caught in hours-long gridlock as security forces struggled to restore order.
Political fallout
Kalonzo’s remarks add to growing opposition criticism of the government’s handling of political gatherings, with leaders increasingly accusing the state of intolerance.
“These are not the actions of a president. They are the actions of a man who fears the people he was elected to serve,” Kalonzo stated, escalating the rhetoric against President Ruto.
He also warned that force would not deter political opposition, asserting that public dissatisfaction would ultimately be expressed through the ballot.
“You cannot shoot down the will of a people and you cannot teargas a nation’s conscience,” he said.
Competing narratives
While opposition leaders maintain that the rally was peaceful before police intervention, authorities have previously defended such operations as necessary to maintain public order, particularly where intelligence points to potential unrest.
Ahead of the Kikuyu event, there had been concerns from rival political quarters about possible mobilisation of disruptive groups, raising fears of confrontation.
These competing accounts remain unverified, highlighting the deeply polarised interpretations of Saturday’s events.
Rising political tension
Kalonzo’s reference to the 2027 General Election signals the early intensification of political contestation, with opposition figures increasingly positioning themselves against the current administration.
His remarks underscore a widening rift between the government and opposition, as political rallies continue to emerge as flashpoints for confrontation.
The Kikuyu incident now adds to a growing list of politically charged clashes, raising fresh questions about the balance between security enforcement and the protection of constitutional freedoms in Kenya.