Makana Faults Arama Over Gachagua Visit Chaos

By Our Correspondent

Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP)’s Nakuru Town West candidate Robinas Makana has accused area Member of Parliament (MP) Samwel Arama of condoning the disruption of party leader Rigathi Gachagua’s visit to the constituency on Friday.

Makana alleged that remarks made by Arama after the incident appeared to praise those involved and suggest that similar disruptions could occur again. He claimed the remarks raised questions about the MP’s possible connection to the disturbance, but did not provide independent evidence linking Arama to it.

“Arama has forgotten that Kenya is a democracy,” Makana said, while also warning against political intimidation.

He described Nakuru Town West as a cosmopolitan constituency where people from different communities and political backgrounds live, work and participate in politics.

Makana said the constituency’s diversity placed a responsibility on elected leaders to protect political freedoms and discourage intimidation or intolerance.

He cited Article 33 of the Constitution, which protects freedom of expression, in support of his argument that political leaders had no right to silence or intimidate people holding opposing views.

Makana said residents should be allowed to attend meetings, receive visiting leaders and express their political opinions without fear, provided their activities remained peaceful and lawful.

He accused Arama of treating political authority as permission to suppress competing political activity. The allegation was not supported by evidence beyond Makana’s interpretation of the MP’s reported remarks.

“Our citizens should peaceably express their views provided they remain within the law. Arama should not mistake political power for a license to use goons, to intimidate those with divergent views,” Makana said.

Makana also cited Article 95 of the Constitution, arguing that representation was one of the central responsibilities of a member of the National Assembly.

He said an MP was expected to represent all constituents, including residents who belonged to rival parties or did not support the incumbent.

Makana noted that Arama was serving his third term as Nakuru Town West MP, saying his continued tenure had been made possible by the same democratic system he was now being accused of undermining.

The DCP aspirant apologized to Gachagua over the disruption and described what happened during the Friday visit as unfortunate.

“We are actually sorry to our DCP party leader what happened last Friday. It is unfortunate,” Makana said.

According to Makana, Gachagua had travelled to Nakuru Town West to meet residents and assess the progress made by DCP aspirants and organizers in building the party’s local support.

Makana said DCP was emerging as a strong political force in Nakuru Town West and the wider Nakuru County, although he did not provide polling data or membership figures to support the claim.

He interpreted efforts to disrupt Gachagua’s visit as evidence that rival politicians were concerned about DCP’s growing presence in the constituency. That assessment could not be independently confirmed.

Makana also questioned Arama’s political alignment, claiming his recent conduct showed he was no longer acting as part of the opposition despite his association with the Jubilee Party.

He called on DCP aspirants seeking parliamentary, Senate, governor and woman representative seats in Nakuru County to work together in organising future party activities. He said the party would prepare more carefully for subsequent visits to the constituency.

“We will continue to exercise our democratic rights peacefully, firmly, and within the law. Power changes hands and leadership always comes to an end,” Makana said.

Arama has since denied orchestrating the reported attack on Gachagua’s convoy and rejected the allegations linking him to youths accused of disrupting the former deputy president’s visit.

Arama said Nakuru Town West was home to “legitimate voters, not hired goons”.

The MP maintained that he had no connection to youths accused of throwing stones at Gachagua’s motorcade in Kaptembwa. He dismissed claims that the incident had been organized on his behalf.

“The hostile reception was a consequence of Gachagua’s political alignment. Politicians who lost public support risk being rejected by voters at the ballot box,” he stated, but denied that such political opposition justified violence.

Arama condemned political violence and called for the circumstances surrounding the disruption to be investigated rather than debated through competing accusations.

He joined Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika in urging the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and local security agencies to investigate the chaotic political rallies and establish who was responsible.