Sifuna Kitengela Rally Teargas Chaos Hits Kenya

At the Sifuna Kitengela rally, teargas chaos broke out on Sunday in Kajiado County, turning what started as a peaceful political gathering into a scene of panic and confusion as police moved in hard. However, the rally continued.

It was meant to be a big day for the Orange Democratic Movement’s rebel wing. Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, fresh off his controversial removal as the party’s secretary general, teamed up with allies like Embakasi East MP Babu Owino for the Linda Mwananchi Tour stop in Kitengela.

Thousands showed up, waving flags and chanting slogans in support of the group that’s pushing back against the party’s old guard. They kicked things off with a church service at ACK St Peter’s Orkeju Emanya in nearby Kisaju, then headed to the rally site along the Nairobi-Namanga Road.

The crowd was pumped, with videos showing folks dancing and cheering as leaders rolled in on motorcades. Sifuna, known for his sharp speeches, was just getting into introducing the lineup when everything flipped.

Eyewitness accounts and clips flooding social media paint a wild picture. Out of nowhere, teargas canisters started flying into the crowd.

Some reports say shots rang out too—possibly warning fires into the sky—adding to the mayhem. Leaders’ cars sped off, and young supporters who were chanting “Sifuna Usilale” moments before were now running for cover.

Police vans blocked roads, and what looked like hired muscle joined in, smashing up the stage and scattering chairs like it was nothing.

This didn’t happen in a vacuum. Tensions in ODM have been boiling since the National Executive Committee ousted Sifuna from his SG spot earlier this week.

He calls it an illegal power grab by the party’s veterans, tied to Raila Odinga’s inner circle. Sifuna and his crew, including firebrands like Owino, have been hitting the road with these Linda Mwananchi rallies to rally grassroots support and call out what they see as outdated leadership.

“We’re here for the people,” Sifuna said in a quick clip before the chaos. “Not for backroom deals.” But critics inside ODM say this is just splitting the party at a bad time, with national elections looming in 2027.

Security was tight from the jump. Reports say police ramped up patrols hours before, maybe expecting trouble. Kitengela, a bustling spot outside Nairobi, isn’t new to rallies, but this one felt charged.

Traffic kept moving on the main road, but side streets turned into escape routes. No official word yet on injuries, though one unconfirmed post claimed a person got shot amid the scuffle.

Sifuna didn’t mince words after. In a statement grabbed by reporters as he left, he blasted the response as overkill. “Why teargas a peaceful crowd? This is intimidation, plain and simple,” he said, eyes still red from the gas. Owino, who’s no stranger to these dust-ups, echoed that on X: “They fear the truth we’re speaking.”

The rally was cut short, but the message got out louder than planned. Online, Kenyans are split – some hail Sifuna as a hero fighting the system, while others worry this infighting weakens the opposition against President William Ruto’s government.

Speaking of Ruto, fingers are pointing his way. The original tip called it “Ruto responds with teargas”, hinting at state involvement to quash dissent. No direct comment from State House yet, but past patterns show police often step in heavily at opposition events.

This fits a string of clashes where rallies turn sour quickly. Remember the anti-finance bill protests last year? Same vibe – gas, arrests, questions about who gave the orders.

I talked to a local in Kitengela who was there. “We came to hear about jobs and prices, not run from smoke,” he told me over the phone, still catching his breath. “It’s sad when talking turns to this.” Businesses nearby shut early, and families hunkered down as the dust settled. By evening, the site was cleared, but the fallout’s just starting.

This mess could reshape ODM’s path. Sifuna’s camp is vowing to keep touring, maybe heading to other counties next. But with cops on high alert, expect more sparks. For everyday Kenyans, it’s another reminder that politics here hits close to home – literally, with gas clouds drifting into neighbourhoods.

As night fell, X was alive with clips and takes. One user posted: “Sifuna draws a huge crowd before teargas hits – that’s power.” Another: “Police disrupt again. When will it end?” The rally might have ended early, but the conversation? It’s just revving up.

In a country where voices fight to be heard, days like this show the cost of speaking out. Sifuna and his team walked away shaken but not silenced. Kenya’s watching what comes next.