NAIROBI,Kenya,Jul 23- Former Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria has challenged Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua to provide evidence backing claims that he was involved in planning violence during the recent Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election.

📻 Breaking It Down

Kuria, a key ally of President William Ruto in the Mt Kenya region, dismissed Gachagua’s allegations as baseless, saying repeated accusations without proof would not change the facts.

“Dear Rigathi Gachagua. Even if you accuse me 1000 times of planning violence (like you have done again today in Ol Kalou) without proof it will not wash,” Kuria said in a statement.

The former Cabinet Secretary revisited his long-running political differences with Gachagua, saying he had warned him in 2020 and 2021 against dissolving Mt Kenya’s political bargaining power into the United Democratic Alliance (UDA).

📌 What You Need to Know

“I warned you we as a community do not go into a coalition without our party. You fought me. I said we don’t go to a dowry negotiation while boarding the bridegroom’s Mercedes. You fought all other parties other than UDA,” Kuria said.

He added that he would not oppose Gachagua’s growing political influence in the region, saying DCP was free to field candidates across Mt Kenya and that he had no intention of contesting any elective seat.

“Today I let you be yet again. You can have DCP candidates all over Mt Kenya. I will not even vie for any seat myself. But it will end up in tears. Now that you are the undisputed King, cut me the slack and give me some peace. We watch you for the next 12 months, Muthamaki,” he said.

Kuria’s remarks came days after UDA suffered a humiliating defeat in the Ol Kalou by-election despite deploying significant political resources and high-profile leaders to campaign for its candidate, Samuel Muchina Nyagah.

The outcome cemented DCP’s growing dominance in the Mt Kenya region after its candidate, Sammy Douglas Kamau Waweru, won the seat by a landslide with 35,440 votes against Nyagah’s 5,450.

Ahead of the July 17 poll, Gachagua had publicly accused Kuria and other Kenya Kwanza-allied leaders of plotting to ferry armed groups into Ol Kalou to disrupt the election.

📰 Source: Capital FM Kenya