Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) Deputy Party leader Cleophas Malala, on Saturday, August 2, 2025, voiced concern over the chaotic incident that marred the party’s engagement forum in Gilgil.

The opposition leaders allied to former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua were teargassed by security officers, hence disrupting their rally. The team, led by Nyandarua Senator John Methu, was traversing major towns across the Mt Kenya region to rally support for a united opposition front in Gachagua’s absence.

In a statement, Malala condemned the teargas incident, terming it a well-orchestrated scheme by President William Ruto’s administration to silence opposition.

Malala went further to insinuate that the security officers acted on direct orders from the head of state.

“Today, another DCP PARTY public participation exercise was disrupted by rogue police officers, on instruction from President William Samoei Ruto,” Malala’s statement read in part.

Resolving to violence

The former Kakamega Senator went on to claim that the Kenya Kwanza administration had resorted to using violence and police to silence critics instead of engaging them logically.

He insisted that the latest tactic was a sign of a failed regime. Nonetheless, Malala maintained that the use of force would not deter their resolve to make Ruto a one-term president.

“In any civilized society like ours today, Logic can only be countered by another, superior logic When a man loses his ability to argue out his points logically, he usually resorts to violence. William Samoei Ruto has lost all logic and has resorted to violence, force, intimidation and suppression against opposition leaders,” Malala retorted.

“Unbeknownst to him, it’s not just the leaders who have lost faith in his leadership, but the entire country no longer sees any logic in his failed leadership. To our team, be ye comforted; Ruto is just but a passing cloud. We will rewrite the wrongs and restore sanity to governance. He is going to be the first ever one-term president in our history.”

Gachagua’s sentiments

Malala joined Gachagua, who had also reprimanded the government of the day for the chaotic scenes that marred the DCP rally in Gilgil.

The former DP placed the blame right on Ruto, whom he accused of directing the disruption through the Interior Cabinet Secretary, Kipchumba Murkomen.

“Once again, our team’s public participation meeting was rudely disrupted by the police, following clear instructions from Mr. William Ruto and his protégé Kipchumba Murkomen.”

“Mr. Ruto’s fear of the unknown is gradually steering our country towards a dictatorial path, where suppression and intimidation are becoming the tools of his playbook,” he stated