UDA MP humiliated after attending Rigathi Gachagua's rally

This story has significance for readers across Kenya and beyond.

- Gabriel Kagombe was heckled by a crowd chanting 'one term' slogans as he addressed a DCP rally in Thika Town on August 16

- Kagombe swapped his cap for a DCP-branded one during the tense reception as he publicly broke from UDA and President Ruto's administration

- Gachagua told Kagombe to seek forgiveness from his constituents before the party could fully embrace him

Gatundu South Member of Parliament Gabriel Kagombe faced a hostile crowd on Sunday, August 16, during a Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) campaign rally in Thika Town, Kiambu County, held in the presence of DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua.

As Kagombe addressed the gathering, sections of the crowd broke into "one term" chants directed at him. In an attempt to ease the tension, the first-term lawmaker removed his cap and replaced it with one bearing the DCP branding, a symbolic gesture signalling his alignment with the opposition outfit.

Kagombe Defends Break From UDA

Kagombe described his departure from the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and his decision to oppose President William Ruto's administration as his "Damascus moment," framing it as a turning point he stood by.

He told the crowd he was prepared to work alongside DCP members and submit himself to the judgement of his constituents, acknowledging that his political survival rested entirely with the voters of Gatundu South.

"Mimi nasema, kutoka leo, tuko upande wa Rigathi Gachagua, na sasa sisi tunavaa kofia ya DCP. Hii ingine natupa huko... mimi Sasa nimeingia upande wa DCP, he said amid jeeers.

Gachagua, addressing both the crowd and Kagombe directly, issued a conditional welcome.

"Anybody who is an enemy to President William Ruto is my friend. For you Kagombe, I first want to ask you to seek forgiveness within your people before we can move forward. I can forgive you but as long as you are not at peace with your people, everything else becomes obsolete," Gachagua said.

Broader Mt Kenya Defections From UDA

The incident unfolded against the backdrop of sustained political turbulence in the Mt Kenya region.

Gachagua has repeatedly declared UDA "dead" in the area, pointing to the Ol Kalou by-election result as evidence that voters in the region are turning their backs on President Ruto ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Kagombe is among a growing list of figures distancing themselves from the ruling party.

Murang'a Governor Irungu Kang'ata and Laikipia's Kiarie Badilisha have similarly aligned with DCP, and dozens of ward representatives have followed suit, signalling a widening rift within UDA's traditional stronghold.

DCP, however, faces its own internal pressures. The party is grappling with friction over whether to admit approximately 30 pro-Ruto figures linked to Gachagua's impeachment process.

Not everyone is convinced the defections represent a structural collapse. National Assembly Majority Leader and Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung'wah has dismissed the movement as routine political repositioning, characterising the exits as a seasonal "transfer" rather than any meaningful unravelling of UDA's standing in the region.

Source: TUKO.co.ke

Reporting originally appeared via TUKO. Read the full source for additional context.