One dead, six cars torched as youth clash with police during DP Kindiki meeting in Embu

One person was shot dead on Saturday when police engaged youths in running battles after they attempted to disrupt Deputy President Kithure Kindiki’s political meeting at Nembure Stadium in Embu County.

The youths turned violent after they were repulsed by riot police as they attempted to storm the stadium, where Prof Kindiki was addressing more than 20,000 United Democratic Alliance (UDA) grassroots officials drawn from polling centres across Embu.

The stone-throwing youths confronted police as tension mounted around the stadium, prompting officers to lob teargas canisters at them.

The officers engaged the youths in running battles for several hours outside the stadium as the DP continued addressing the officials undeterred.

Embu West police boss Vincent Kitili confirmed that one person was killed during the confrontation and his body taken to the mortuary.

“What I know is that we took one body to the mortuary. Six vehicles were also torched and three others vandalised,” said Mr Kitili.

The youths later regrouped after the meeting and caused chaos in the area, spilling onto the nearby road, attacking drivers and residents, and burning several vehicles.

Among the vehicles burnt was that of Royal Media journalist Edward Murimi.

A UDA supporter was also injured when a flying stone landed on his face and he had to be administered first aid before being taken to hospital.

The violence came as Prof Kindiki used the meeting to defend the unity of the Mt Kenya region and hit out at Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku over what he termed attempts to split the region into Mt Kenya East and Mt Kenya West.

Prof Kindiki asked Mr Ruku and those supporting the campaign to slow down, saying the people of Mt Kenya East and West had co-existed for decades and should not be separated.

He said elders from the two regions were already engaging to resolve emerging political differences and should be given ample time to pursue the process.

“People of Mt Kenya Region will remain united, peaceful and tolerant, despite attempts by some politicians to fan ethnic and regional animosity,” he said.

Prof Kindiki also accused the opposition of betting on violence to disrupt his meetings.

“The opposition are using youths to try and mess up my meeting but the government is alert,” he said.

He warned that the government would not tolerate hooliganism and would deal ruthlessly with goons and their sponsors.

“The opposition are using youths to try and cause chaos, they are being petty and they are spoiling for themselves, they will not be elected,” said Prof Kindiki.

He vowed to continue holding meetings to tell Kenyans what the government had done in terms of development.

“No amount of intimidation will deter us from convening our meetings,” he said.

Prof Kindiki also pledged to hold another major meeting in Kiambu and dared the opposition to disrupt it.

“The Kiambu meeting will be the biggest, let them try to intrude,” he said in reference to the opposition.

Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire accused the opposition of sensing defeat ahead of the 2027 elections.

“The opposition is trying to sell fears to us after knowing that they will lose in the 2027 polls, we are not going to buy fears,” said Ms Mbarire.

Ms Mbarire said she had been in politics for a long time but had never witnessed such an incident in Embu.

“What I have seen in Embu is the worst since I joined politics in Embu,” she said.

Embu County Assembly Speaker Murithi Thiriku also took issue with the campaign dubbed kupasua mlima, saying it was being driven by what he described as reluctance by some leaders from Mt Kenya West to support Prof Kindiki despite Mt Kenya East having supported leaders from the West since independence.

Mr Thiriku and Ms Mbarire criticised DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua over his attacks on Kindiki and condemned those who had mobilised youths to disrupt the UDA meeting.

Earlier, Prof Kindiki dismissed Mr Gachagua as a political dwarf and told him to brace himself for a humiliating political battle in the next General Election.

“Gachagua joined politics recently and he should stop lecturing me on matters politics, we shall defeat him,” he said.

Prof Kindiki’s remarks came amid growing political contestation within Mt Kenya over the region’s political direction ahead of the 2027 elections.

Follow ourWhatsApp channel for breaking news updates and more stories like this.