Political tensions within Kenya Kwanza continued to escalate on Sunday after Nyandarua Senator John Methu claimed he narrowly escaped arrest during a visit to Kakamega County on Saturday, May 31.
Speaking during a rally in Lari, Kiambu County, Senator Methu a staunch ally of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua alleged that President William Ruto dispatched police officers to apprehend him while on political duty for Gachagua in the Western Kenya region.
“Yesterday, I was in Kakamega, where Riggy G had sent me.
He [President Ruto] sent police officers to apprehend me, but I looked for young people and we dared him to try,” Methu told supporters.
“William Ruto’s officers left in a rush,” he added.
The senator’s claims add fuel to growing accusations from Gachagua’s allies, who argue that President Ruto is increasingly deploying state machinery to intimidate and silence dissenters within the ruling coalition.
The rift, once subtle, has become increasingly public as factions within the coalition prepare for possible realignments ahead of the 2027 elections.
Methu cited the recent arrest of Rose Njeri, a 35-year-old software engineer who created a website to help Kenyans voice opposition to the controversial Finance Bill 2025, as further evidence of the administration’s clampdown on dissent.
“That alone shows the president is rattled,” he said.
The rally in Lari briefly descended into chaos after unidentified individuals attempted to disrupt the gathering.
However, youths allied to the Gachagua camp intervened swiftly, preventing any violence mirroring the Kakamega incident where Methu claimed local support helped thwart his arrest.
These latest developments follow the mysterious disappearance of Juja MP George Koimburi, another Gachagua ally, who was allegedly abducted and later found 18 hours later in a Kiambu coffee plantation.
Gachagua, who visited the MP in hospital, claimed he had been tortured, citing soft tissue injuries and damaged vocal cords.
However, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has disputed the abduction narrative. According to DCI Director Mohamed Amin and Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, Koimburi was allegedly spotted at a hotel the night of his supposed disappearance.
The investigation, they said, raised serious doubts about the kidnapping claim, especially after three of Koimburi’s acquaintances reportedly admitted to being with him during the period in question.
As political infighting intensifies within the Kenya Kwanza administration, observers warn that the internal strife could have far-reaching implications for governance and stability, especially with critical debates looming over the Finance Bill and electoral reforms.
Neither State House nor the Interior Ministry has issued an official response to Methu’s allegations.
However, calls for an independent inquiry into claims of state-sponsored intimidation and alleged misuse of police powers are gaining traction, particularly among opposition lawmakers and civil society groups.
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