Gachagua claims 68 women raped by police in Ol Kalou chaos

Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua during a press conference in Nyahururu, Nyandarua. [James Munyeki, Standard]

Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua has accused police officers of raping 68 women during unrest that marred the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election in Nyandarua County.

The allegation  has not been confirmed by police or hospital authorities. Speaking to reporters in Nyahururu, Gachagua also claimed one person was killed and 20 others injured in the violence, identifying the person killed as James Muigai and noting those injured were nursing gunshot wounds and head injuries.

"Yet they cannot report the attacks to the police because they were raped by the police men," alleged Gachagua.

He commended Ol Kalou residents for refusing to back down despite what he called state sponsored violence to guard their votes.

DCP candidate Sammy Kamau won the by-election with 35,440 votes against United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidate Samuel Muchina, who got 5,450 votes.

Gachagua accused Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen of orchestrating the chaos, dismissing Murkomen's calls for investigation as lip service.

"If Murkomen has called for an investigation, he must call for an investigation into his own person because he is the one who authorised these attacks in Ol Kalou," he claimed.

He alleged police stood by as hooded men in Toyota Prado vehicles terrorised residents, adding that the weapons and teargas used could only have come from the state.

The DCP leader accused Mathira MP Eric Wamumbi, Murang'a MP Betty Maina and Dennis Itumbi of leading a team of police officers he blamed for terrorising Ol Kalou residents.

He further named Nakuru Town MP David Gikaria, Kiambu MP Ann Wamuratha, Nyandarua MP Faith Gitau, Kiambaa MP John Kawanjiku, nominated MP Sabina Chege, Bahati MP Irene Njoki and Mbeere North MP Leonard Wamuthende as coordinators of the attacks.

Gachagua also accused Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung'wa of financing the chaos, alleging he collected money from President William Ruto to fund it.

He called for the release of young men arrested by police and criticised the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) for failing to condemn attempted attacks on polling stations.

"While the returning officers, presiding officers and clerks did a commendable job, the commissioners have proven they cannot be trusted; there could not have been more blatant proof they are entirely in the state's pockets," he observed.

He apologised to the country for mobilising Mt Kenya votes for the Kenya Kwanza administration in 2022, explaining the region now intends to mobilise about 7 million votes against Ruto.

Gachagua claimed Ruto had deployed cabinet and government officials to launch Sh14 billion in projects in the constituency and spent Sh1.1 billion in cash bribes to sway the vote.