Leaders of the Linda Mwananchi movement were forced to abandon a political rally in Nyahururu Town on Sunday after a violent attack by a group of suspected hired goons disrupted the event and sent supporters fleeing.
The incident unfolded shortly after prominent leaders, including Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and Murang’a Governor Irungu Kang’ata, arrived at the venue to address a large crowd that had gathered for the meeting. The rally had originally been planned for Ol Kalou but was moved to Nyahururu following claims by the movement that there were efforts to disrupt the event and interfere with the upcoming Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election scheduled for Thursday, July 16.
According to eyewitnesses, a group of armed individuals suddenly invaded the gathering, throwing stones and other objects at the stage and into the crowd. The unexpected attack caused panic as supporters scattered in different directions to escape the violence.
Journalists covering the rally were also caught up in the chaos. Reports indicated that attackers damaged a television camera and a media vehicle, forcing K24 TV to cut short its live coverage. One member of the station’s crew reportedly sustained injuries during the incident.
The violence came a day after Linda Mwananchi issued a statement alleging that plainclothes police officers and hired gangs from Kiambu, Murang’a, and Nakuru counties had been deployed along the route expected to be used by the movement’s convoy. The group claimed the objective was to provoke violence that could later be used to justify postponing the by-election
The movement stated: “Part of these plans include planned violent attacks on the Linda Mwananchi team during their engagements. Police squads without uniform and goons have been mobilised and deployed to attack the convoy. The strategy is to use Linda Mwananchi acts of self-defence against violent attacks as the excuse to declare a state of siege, necessitating the postponement of the by-election.”
Despite the disruption, Senator Sifuna and other leaders maintained that the movement would continue with its activities and would not be intimidated by the attack.
The incident has heightened concerns over the security of political campaigns and the credibility of the electoral process ahead of the 2027 General Election. Previously, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) warned that persistent violence or violations of the electoral code of conduct could compel it to postpone the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election if conditions are deemed unsafe for voters.