Chaos as Teargas Disrupts Sifuna’s Rally in Kitengela
A political rally held in Kitengela under the Linda Wananchi banner ended abruptly on Sunday afternoon after teargas was fired into the crowd, causing confusion and forcing supporters to flee for safety.
The gathering, which had attracted a large number of residents, was briefly thrown into disorder as leaders attempted to calm the situation and restore order.
The incident happened on Sunday, February 15, at the moment when Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna was addressing supporters and introducing fellow leaders who had attended the event.
The rally had been organized by leaders associated with a breakaway faction from Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), and the atmosphere had initially been lively, with supporters cheering and engaging with the speakers.
Videos seen by Newshub.co.ke showed thick clouds of smoke spreading through the crowd after a teargas canister landed among attendees. The sudden release of teargas caused panic, with people running in different directions to avoid the fumes.
In the middle of the chaos, Sifuna was heard urging supporters to remain calm, insisting that the meeting should continue despite the disruption.
It remains unclear who was responsible for firing the teargas. However, some reports and speculation from those present suggested that security officers may have intervened after the crowd became increasingly difficult to control.
As tensions rose, Sifuna questioned the action, asking why teargas was being used against what he described as a peaceful gathering.
Moments later, another canister was reportedly thrown, further escalating the confusion and forcing organizers to suspend the rally.
The situation worsened after a confrontation broke out between police officers and sections of the crowd, making it impossible for the event to proceed.
Media activities at the venue were also disrupted as journalists and camera crews moved away from the affected area for safety reasons.
Despite the interruption, organizers noted that the rally had earlier drawn a large turnout, with thousands of residents attending to welcome the visiting leaders.
Before the political meeting, the leaders had participated in a church service at St. Peter’s Orkeju Emunyak ACK Church, where they interacted with congregants before proceeding to the rally venue.
Following the incident, Sifuna took to social media to strongly criticize the disruptions, accusing government-linked actors of attempting to interfere with their activities.
According to his statement, the group had faced challenges from the morning hours, alleging that their sound equipment and dais had been damaged before the rally even began.
He claimed that the teargassing was part of a wider effort to intimidate their supporters and silence their political engagements.
Even with the disruption, Sifuna expressed appreciation to Kitengela residents for turning up in large numbers, saying the group would continue engaging with wananchi despite the challenges.
He maintained that the incident would not discourage them from holding future meetings or pursuing their political agenda.
The Kitengela incident adds to a growing list of recent political gatherings that have experienced tension between opposition supporters and security agencies.
In recent weeks, opposition figures allied to former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua have also reported similar confrontations at public events, raising concerns about the increasing political temperature in the country as leaders continue to hold rallies across different regions.
As soon as the police lobbed teargas at the peaceful crowd gathered in #Kitengela, youths swung into action, calmed the rioting police and immediately managed to restore order. pic.twitter.com/hBWSBZG0Y5
— H.E. Rachel Tabitha,MYP (@HERachelTabitha) February 15, 2026
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