Mumias East MP Peter Salasya has criticised the decision by the Linda Mwananchi movement to hold a political rally in Nyahururu, describing it as a political misstep following the violence that disrupted the event.

In a statement shared on his social media pages on Monday, July 13, 2026, the first-term lawmaker referred to an earlier warning issued by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, saying the opposition leaders should not have ignored the advice.

According to Salasya, Gachagua’s caution was informed by intelligence indicating that there was a likelihood of violence in the area, and the warning should have been taken seriously.

“Politics is not about pride—it is about strategy. H.E. Rigathi Gachagua, EGH, understood the importance of timing when he advised against going to Ol Kalou. Nyahururu and Olkalou are very close. Like, for me, I had scheduled to sleep in the Panari Hotel with other leaders of DCP in Nyahururu, so trying to place their meeting in Nyahururu on the highway to Ol Kalou was very dangerous; the enemy could take advantage and do something silly,” he said.

United opposition proposed a visit

The MP disclosed that leaders aligned to the United Opposition had also planned to visit the region and spend the night at Panari Hotel in Nyahururu ahead of their political activities. However, he said they abandoned the plan after learning of the scheme to cause chaos.

Salasya further argued that relocating the Linda Mwananchi rally from Ol Kalou to Nyahururu did little to improve the security situation because the two towns are in close proximity.

He maintained that the decision to proceed with the Nyahururu meeting despite the earlier warning amounted to a political miscalculation, which he believes contributed to the violence witnessed during the rally.

Nelson Koech blames Gachagua

On the other side, Belgut MP Nelson Koech has blamed former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua for the violence that targeted members of the Linda Mwananchi movement during their political activities in Nyahururu.

Speaking during an interview with a local media station on Monday, July 13, 2026, the outspoken legislator, who also chairs the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations, linked the violence to Gachagua’s recent warning to Murang’a Governor Irungu Kang’ata against setting foot in Ol Kalou during the by-election campaigns.

According to Koech, Gachagua’s remarks created the impression that Kang’ata was unwelcome in the area, making him the main target during the attack.

The MP questioned why Kang’ata appeared to bear the brunt of the violence, noting that the governor’s convoy was stoned and that his driver was shot with a rubber bullet. Koech argued that the incident should be viewed in the context of Gachagua’s earlier warning.