Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has accused Deputy President Kithure Kindiki of using money to drive political mobilisation in Mt Kenya, days after violence disrupted a UDA meeting in Nembure, Embu County.
In a statement responding to Saturday’s chaos, Gachagua claimed residents had turned up at the meeting expecting financial assistance and challenged Kindiki to either provide money to everyone or stop what he described as political bribery.
“Either carry enough money for everyone or stop bribery,” Gachagua said.
His remarks came after violence disrupted a United Democratic Alliance meeting attended by Kindiki and Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire at Nembure Stadium.
The National Police Service said one person was fatally injured, several others were injured and six vehicles were torched during the confrontation. Police said a group attempted to force its way into the meeting, prompting officers to intervene. Several people of interest were arrested, while Kindiki was evacuated from the venue. Investigations have been launched to establish the circumstances surrounding the violence.
Gachagua’s account differed sharply from the police explanation.
He alleged that residents were demanding access to money because of the economic difficulties facing many households.
“People demanded entry; they also wanted money to buy unga, pay medical bills, pay school fees and meet other needs,” he said.
Embu chaos
Gachagua then made a more specific allegation, claiming that KSh350 million had been made available to Kindiki to politically mobilise residents in Embu, Meru and Tharaka Nithi.
He alleged that the money was linked to a contractor and was being used to influence political loyalties across the three counties.
Gachagua did not provide evidence for the claim in his statement. The allegation has not been independently verified, and there is no established evidence that Kindiki received or distributed the alleged Ksh350 million.
The claim should therefore be understood as part of Gachagua’s political criticism of Kindiki rather than as a fact.
Gachagua also accused the deputy president of attempting to divide Mt Kenya into eastern and western political blocs.
“We know that at your disposal is Kshs. 350 million given to you by the Nithi Bridge contractor, under the instructions of Mr. William Ruto, to politically zone the people of Embu, Tharaka Nithi and Meru counties,” he said.
He did not provide evidence supporting the allegation involving the contractor or President William Ruto.
Kindiki has not been shown to have received the alleged funds.
The political accusations followed a chaotic meeting that police described as an attempted breach of a public gathering.
The NPS said the group involved was repelled by officers and warned that anyone found responsible for the violence, including the torching and vandalism of vehicles, would face the law.
Kindiki condemned the violence and called for those responsible to be dealt with according to the law. UDA also said it would establish the extent of losses and coordinate support for people affected by the incident.
The deputy president was in Nembure as part of UDA’s grassroots mobilisation efforts. The meeting brought together party officials, with Kindiki saying he had engaged thousands of polling-centre officials as the ruling party works to strengthen its structures ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Gachagua has interpreted the political mobilisation differently.
Gachagua-Kindiki tiff
He argued that residents should not have to attend political meetings in search of money to meet basic needs.
“How do you make our hardworking people leave their farms, homes and shops to come and queue for stolen wealth?” he said.
He called instead for investment in public services.
“The people of Kenya need services: good roads, clean water, education, healthcare and good roads; not handouts, tokens and bribes,” Gachagua said.
The former deputy president’s statement also accused Kindiki of directing police to deal with residents during the confrontation.
“You were heard loud and clear instructing the police to deal with wananchi,” Gachagua said, alleging that people had been indiscriminately shot.
That allegation has not been independently established.
There was also a discrepancy over the death toll. Gachagua said two people had been killed, while the National Police Service confirmed one fatality in its account of the incident.
The Embu confrontation has consequently produced competing narratives.
Police have focused on an alleged attempt to breach the meeting and the resulting violence, while Gachagua has portrayed the incident as a symptom of economic hardship and what he alleges is the use of money to mobilise political support.
The competing accounts have not established a link between the alleged KSh350 million and the violence at Nembure.
What is clear is that the incident has intensified an already sharp political contest over Mt Kenya, with Kindiki playing a prominent role in UDA’s mobilisation in the eastern part of the region and Gachagua continuing to challenge the government’s approach to the region.
For now, the immediate issue remains the police investigation into the Nembure violence, including the death, injuries and destruction of vehicles.
But Gachagua has used the chaos to put a much broader question to Kindiki: if political support depends on money, who is paying — and why are ordinary residents being drawn into the contest?
