NAIVASHA — Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen pinned blame for Sunday’s violent disruption of Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna’s rally in Kitengela on hired disruptors bused in from Machakos County. Police lobbed teargas into the crowd after tensions boiled over, leaving 28-year-old Vincent Ayomo dead from a gunshot wound and dozens more hurt.

Murkomen spoke out Monday at a Huduma na Usalama mashinani forum in Naivasha. He said organizers failed to notify police ahead of time about the Linda Wananchi gathering, hampering crowd control efforts. ‘Tell those seeking votes that we will not allow it,’ Murkomen declared. ‘The government of William Ruto will not allow it. Our police officers are under firm instructions to deal with people who are inciting communities with finality.’

The rally began peacefully in Kitengela, a busy town south of Nairobi. But as it wrapped up, a teargas canister exploded amid the crowd on market day. Witnesses described elderly women gasping for air and stumbling away. Traders abandoned stalls. Boda boda riders and residents scattered in all directions.

Youth lingered after leaders like Sifuna were rushed to safety. They hurled stones at officers and shouted anti-government chants. The clashes escalated. Protesters stormed Kitengela Police Station and the deputy county commissioner’s office. They yanked down the Kenyan flag, doused furniture with fuel and set the buildings ablaze.

Officials attributed the death and injuries partly to the event’s timing. Sunday marked the local market day, drawing heavy foot traffic and complicating security. Ayomo, a garage worker, took a fatal bullet during the melee, according to Sifuna’s office.

Sifuna fired back in a statement late Sunday. He pointed fingers at senior government figures for orchestrating the violence. ‘This was a senseless and needless killing,’ he said of Ayomo’s death. Sifuna pledged to seek justice for the family and hold perpetrators accountable.

Murkomen dismissed such claims during his Naivasha remarks. He insisted the intruders from Machakos bore responsibility for turning a political meeting into a riot. Police restored order after hours of running battles. No arrests were immediately reported in connection with the station attack.

Kitengela lies in Kajiado County, a hotspot for political tensions ahead of future elections. Sifuna, an Azimio la Umoja ally, used the rally to rally grassroots support under his Linda Wananchi banner. The chaos echoed recent protests nationwide against President Ruto’s administration.

Authorities have not released a full injury tally. Ayomo’s family gathered Monday at the mortuary in Kajiado. Local leaders called for calm as investigations began into the shooting and arson.