Former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua will make his first public appearance since returning from the United States at Kasarani Stadium during the Harambee Stars’ quarter-final match against Madagascar. The announcement comes just hours after he skipped a highly publicised rally at Kamukunji grounds, leaving supporters questioning his political strategy.
The Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) confirmed on Thursday, August 21, that Gachagua would attend the continental fixture alongside thousands of football fans. In a statement posted on X, the party described the match as the chosen stage for his reemergence, signalling what many view as a deliberate move to shift attention from politics to a national sporting event.
Gachagua had landed earlier that day at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), where he was welcomed by hundreds of supporters waving banners and chanting his name. Security was visibly tight, with reports that nearly 100 police officers were stationed at the airport. According to DCP officials, there were attempts to arrest him upon arrival, but his supporters shielded him until his convoy left for Nairobi’s city centre.
DCP deputy leader Cleophas Malala condemned the heavy police presence, claiming it was evidence of a wider plan to silence their leader. Nyandarua senator John Methu echoed the same, insisting that the government wanted to intimidate Gachagua and disrupt his homecoming.
Drama unfolded further as Gachagua’s convoy was attacked near Imara Daima by armed youths who hurled stones at his vehicles. Chaos broke out as some supporters fled while others engaged the attackers. Police fired tear gas to restore order, causing traffic disruption along the highway. DCP leaders later accused Nairobi governor Johnson Sakaja of orchestrating the attack, while Murang’a senator Joe Nyutu alleged that helicopters seen circling overhead were coordinating the assault.
Despite the day’s tense events, supporters gathered at Kamukunji grounds were left disappointed when Gachagua skipped the expected rally. His convoy instead headed directly into the city, leaving party officials to explain his absence.
His planned appearance at Kasarani now marks not only his first official public outing since returning to Kenya but also a strategic choice to step back into the spotlight under less confrontational circumstances.
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