National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah has announced plans to take legal action against former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua over remarks made regarding the forthcoming Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election.

In a statement released on Friday, July 10, 2026, Ichung’wah dismissed Gachagua’s claims as false and maintained that they were intended to undermine public confidence in the electoral process ahead of the July 16 poll.

“I will take legal action against Mr. Gachagua,” Ichung’wah said. “He will have the opportunity to substantiate every allegation before a court of law. Empty political rhetoric may excite a rally, but it does not withstand judicial scrutiny.”

The Majority Leader said Gachagua’s remarks were made after realising that his preferred candidate was facing defeat in the by-election.

“I take great exception to the reckless, false and malicious allegations levelled against me today by Mr. Gachagua regarding the forthcoming Ol Kalou by-election,” Ichung’wah said.

“It is now abundantly clear that Mr. Gachagua is a man gripped by panic. After weeks of chest-thumping and empty bravado, he has come face to face with the reality that his preferred candidate is headed for defeat.”

Rejects claims of interference

Ichung’wah denied claims linking him to meetings with Deputy County Commissioners or attempts to influence the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

He said the accusations had no factual basis.

“The claims that I held meetings with Deputy County Commissioners or bribed IEBC officials exist only in the imagination of a man who has built his politics on conspiracy theories, propaganda, hate and ethnic division,” he said.

The Majority Leader also accused Gachagua’s political camp of distributing inflammatory campaign material in Ol Kalou.

“His operatives have resorted to distributing hateful leaflets in Ol Kalou in a desperate attempt to instil fear after sensing that their campaign has collapsed,” he said.

Ichung’wah said residents of Ol Kalou and the wider Mt Kenya region would make their own decision at the ballot.

“The people of Ol Kalou and the greater Mt Kenya region are wiser than that. They will not be intimidated or manipulated. They will exercise their democratic right freely and peacefully.”

Exchange follows Gachagua’s remarks

Ichung’wah’s statement came hours after Gachagua criticised the IEBC and senior government officials during a press briefing at the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) headquarters in Nairobi.

Gachagua questioned the commission’s handling of the Ol Kalou by-election and raised concerns about the involvement of senior state officials in campaign activities.

He also criticised the deployment of government resources in the constituency and questioned whether the electoral commission was enforcing election laws impartially.

The former Deputy President further said the IEBC should ensure the by-election proceeds as scheduled and warned that postponing the poll would undermine public confidence ahead of the 2027 General Election.

By-election preparations continue

The Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election will be held on July 16 following the death of area MP David Njuguna Kiaraho.

The race has attracted candidates from several political parties, including UDA’s Samuel Muchina Nyagah and DCP’s Sammy Douglas Kamau Waweru.

The IEBC has said it is monitoring reports of voter bribery, violence and other election offences as campaigns enter the final days.

The exchange between Ichung’wah and Gachagua adds to the heightened political activity surrounding the by-election, which has drawn national attention as parties intensify campaigns ahead of polling day.

Ichung’wah maintained that he would pursue the matter through the courts, saying those making public accusations should be prepared to support them through the legal process.