Anti-Gachagua Protests Paralyze Embu Town
Transport and business operations in Embu Town ground to a halt on Tuesday, October 14, as hundreds of residents took to the streets to protest against former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
Protesters Demand Apology to Governor Mbarire
The demonstrators, mostly women, accused Gachagua of disrespecting Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire after he publicly criticized her for aligning with President William Ruto’s administration. Carrying placards reading “Respect our leaders”, protesters marched through Embu’s central business district, chanting slogans in support of the governor.
They demanded that the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader issue a public apology, warning that his remarks had insulted the entire county. “We will fast and pray until he apologizes to our governor,” one demonstrator said.
The marchers also played songs praising President Ruto’s leadership, with chants of “two-term” echoing through the town.
Gachagua’s Remarks Spark Outrage
During a weekend rally in Mount Kenya, Gachagua accused Mbarire and Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru of betraying the community by siding with the President. He vowed to name leaders he considered “traitors” in future public forums.
“Wherever I go in Mount Kenya, I will be calling out the traitors by name so that people know them,” Gachagua said on Sunday, October 12.
His comments triggered widespread backlash in both Embu and Kirinyaga counties, where residents viewed his statements as an attempt to intimidate female leaders and sow political division.
Protests Spread to Kirinyaga
On Monday, October 13, residents of Mwea in Kirinyaga County also took to the streets, denouncing Gachagua’s remarks. Protesters lit bonfires along the Kutus–Samson Road, causing traffic disruptions as police monitored the demonstrations.
Some demonstrators accused Gachagua’s allies of plotting to destabilize women governors in the Mount Kenya region. “When he insults Waiguru, he insults the people who elected her,” one protester said.
The escalating protests underline growing tensions in Mount Kenya politics as leaders clash over loyalty to President Ruto’s government and emerging regional power struggles.
