CS Murkomen, Gachagua trade barbs over critical Ol Kalou by-elections

Over the past several weeks, an intense verbal tussle between senior government officials and the opposition has crisscrossed Ol Kalou Constituency, raising eyebrows on why the mini-poll has drawn national prominence.

On Wednesday evening, the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) leader Gachagua claimed that Murkomen has dispatched a killer squad to cause unrest in Ol Kalou.

In a post on X, he alleged that the team has already started abducting DCP members and were later held at Royal Garden Hotel.

"Mr. Kipchumba Murkomen has dispatched Nairobi sierra killer squad that attacked Witima ACK church to cause mayhem in Ol Kalou," he wrote.

"Our teams are held up at Royal Garden Hotel under brutal police and State-sponsored militia. Goons are currently breaking into the Hotel."

His incendiary remarks prompted a rebuttal from Murkomen who said that Gachagua is only using reverse psychology to mask his attempts to hire goons ahead of the by-election. 

"Mr Rigathi Gachagua, we know your gimmicks and juvenile attempts at reverse psychology. Try violence in Ol Kalou and you will see," Murkomen Warned.

"To anyone being recruited to violence by Mr Gachagua, keep off because the consequences will be dire."

The constituency has become the unlikely theatre for a high-stakes battle between President William Ruto and his former deputy turned bitter rival Rigathi Gachagua.

The position has become a tight contest since the constituency will anchor the parties' control of Mt Kenya, one of Kenya's most electorally consequential regions.

Gachagua's DCP has nominated Sammy Kamau Ngotho to contest against President Ruto's UDA candidate, Samuel Muchina.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has officially cleared nine candidates to contest in the race.

Alongside the two presumed top horses, the Jubilee Party is also seeking to retain the seat previously held by former MP David Kiaraho, who was elected on a Jubilee ticket in the 2022 General Election.

Others are Timothy Kamau of People’s Renaissance Movement, Edwin Muchiri of PNU, Stephen Wanyoike of the National Liberal Party (NLP), Rachael Njoroge, Edward Mwaniki of the Kenya Moja Movement, and Abdifatah Hussein of the Federal Party of Kenya.