Tensions gripped Kirinyaga County on Monday, October 13, after hundreds of residents, mainly women, took to the streets to protest against former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
The demonstrators, identifying themselves as loyal supporters of Governor Anne Waiguru, accused Gachagua of disrespecting women leaders and undermining the governor’s leadership.
The protesters marched through Kutus town carrying placards with messages such as “The Choice is Ours” and “Respect Women Leaders.” They lit bonfires along the busy Kutus–Samson Road, temporarily disrupting traffic as police monitored the situation.
One protester said Gachagua’s remarks during a Sunday church service in Mwea were an insult to Kirinyaga voters. “He should know the governor did not place herself in office. We voted her in. So when he insults the governor, he is insulting us,” she said.
Another demonstrator accused the former DP’s allies of political jealousy, saying they were plotting to unseat Waiguru.
During the controversial service at the Ambassadors of Christ Church, Gachagua had vowed to publicly name and shame Mount Kenya leaders he described as “traitors” working with President William Ruto to divide the region politically.
He specifically singled out Governor Waiguru, alleging she was forming a new party ahead of the 2027 elections.
Gachagua also blamed Kirinyaga leaders for the plight of rice farmers in Mwea, accusing them of staying silent as the government moved to import rice instead of supporting local producers.
The protests come amid growing hostility toward Gachagua in parts of the Mount Kenya region.
