Two people are feared dead and scores of vehicles burned after violence erupted at Nembure Stadium in Manyatta Constituency, Embu County, during a United Democratic Alliance (UDA) meeting addressed by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki. The unrest began when hundreds of youths attempted to force their way into the stadium, where access was restricted to invited UDA polling-centre officials and designated participants.
Security officers mounted checks at the entrances, using identification and party membership cards to verify those allowed into the venue. This left many youths outside, triggering a confrontation between them and the security officers. Police fired teargas to disperse the crowds as tensions escalated, with some youths retaliating by throwing stones at police officers and into the stadium.
The violence spilled outside the venue, where several vehicles belonging to delegates attending the meeting were reportedly set ablaze. The unrest also spread to sections of the nearby Embu-Meru Highway, where groups of youths barricaded parts of the road and lit bonfires, prompting an intensified security response.
Inside the stadium, security officers and drivers were forced to move vehicles to safer sections as the confrontation unfolded. Despite the disruption, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki proceeded with his meeting with UDA grassroots leaders. Addressing the gathering amid the tension, Kindiki called for political restraint and tolerance, urging his supporters not to interfere with opposition parties or disrupt their political activities.
Kindiki emphasized that political leaders should be given an opportunity to present their policies and programs to voters without intimidation, violence, or disruption. He also criticized what he described as a growing culture of personal attacks and name-calling in Kenyan politics, seemingly referencing former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
The Deputy President warned against using young people as instruments of political confrontation, asserting that the youth should not be turned into tools for disrupting political meetings. He instead called for issue-based politics, peaceful competition, and tolerance as political activity intensifies ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The Nembure meeting was politically significant for Kindiki, marking his third visit to the same venue within a month. He has previously used Nembure to engage with elders and young people, while Saturday's meeting brought together UDA grassroots leaders. Kindiki used the gathering to highlight the achievements of the UDA administration and urged grassroots officials to communicate the government's development record to voters.
The repeated visits have increasingly positioned Nembure as a key political mobilization ground for Kindiki and the ruling UDA party as preparations for the 2027 contest intensify. Meanwhile, Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire criticized Manyatta MP Gitonga Mukunji, accusing him of mobilizing youths in connection with the disruption. These allegations are likely to further sharpen political tensions within Manyatta Constituency, where competing political camps are positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 elections.
The violence has renewed concerns over political tolerance, the safety of public gatherings, and the growing use of youthful supporters in Kenya's increasingly competitive grassroots politics. Police had not, by the time of filing this report, officially confirmed the reported deaths or the exact number of vehicles destroyed.
