NAIROBI, Kenya July 23 – Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua has called on Mt Kenya musicians to begin composing songs about the recent Ol Kalou killings, saying music should become the community’s voice as political tensions continue to rise ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Speaking during a requiem mass for two men who died following the recent Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election, the former Deputy President urged artists across the region to produce songs carrying what he described as the community’s message.
“I want our musicians now to start composing songs about these killings, just like we did during the time of J.M. Kariuki,” Gachagua said.
He said the songs should reflect what he termed as the persecution of the Mt Kenya community and remain popular throughout the next year.
“All our artists, you must come up with strong songs with a message that the community is under siege, under attack and under persecution by William Ruto. Tell the people what they must do next year. Those are the songs we shall sing for the next one year.”
Even as he made the call to musicians, Gachagua urged residents to remain peaceful and avoid violence.
Instead, he encouraged them to channel their emotions through music while continuing with their daily lives.
“Let people return to their farms, return to their businesses and stay quiet. Whenever you feel angry, sing a song and stay quiet. That is the way we shall work.”
During the ceremony, Gachagua accused President William Ruto’s administration of being responsible for the deaths of the two men, James Muigai and Zacharia Gakinya, during the Ol Kalou by-election.
He alleged that the two did not lose their lives through illness or an accident but were killed during violence linked to the by-election.
“These patriots did not die because they were sick or because of a road accident. They died because William Ruto sent people to kill them,” Gachagua claimed.
The former Deputy President also accused security agencies of disrupting what he described as a peaceful election, alleging that police operations left several people injured.
The government has previously defended the conduct of security officers during election operations.
Gachagua further alleged that the Kenya Kwanza administration had unfairly targeted the Mt Kenya region through job losses, demolition of homes and economic hardship.
He claimed the community had now become politically united because of those experiences.
“William Ruto has declared war on this community. We gave him power and next year we will remove that power from him,” he said.
He also criticised recent government statements on dealing with criminal gangs, insisting that security officers, and not goons, were responsible for violence witnessed during the Ol Kalou by-election.
