Chaos on Mombasa Road has once again exposed the troubling undercurrents in Nairobi’s politics, where power struggles appear to spill directly onto the streets, leaving ordinary citizens to pay the price.
On August 21, 2025, suspected goons unleashed violence near the Imara Daima and Cabanas areas, pelting stones at vehicles and disrupting traffic.
Among those caught up in the chaos was the convoy of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua. Police responded with tear gas, but by then journalists, motorists, and innocent commuters had already been assaulted, vehicles damaged, and lives put at risk.
What makes this incident deeply concerning is the growing suspicion that Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja was behind the attacks. Critics argue that the chaos was not random, but rather a calculated attempt to undermine Gachagua’s return and intimidate his supporters.
Yet the goons seemed to attack anyone in sight, regardless of their political leaning, exposing the recklessness of such tactics. If Sakaja indeed orchestrated this, it reveals not only poor judgment but also a dangerous willingness to sacrifice public safety for political advantage.
The violence ties into a broader political rivalry fueled by two competing slogans in Kenyan politics. WANTAM, meaning “one term,” has been embraced by Gachagua in his attacks on the ruling administration, while TUTAM, meaning “two terms,” is being used to push for President Ruto’s re-election.
These terms have become rallying cries that divide leaders and their followers. Sakaja, aligned with the government, now finds himself accused of using crude street tactics to silence dissent and protect his allies. This is not the first time his name has come up in such allegations.
Back in June 2025, during the Gen Z protests against government policies, similar claims emerged that gangs hired through city hall infiltrated peaceful demonstrations to stir violence.
Sakaja denied the accusations, insisting he has never sponsored violence, but witnesses and reports from media outlets painted a different picture. Those protests ended in bloodshed, with at least eight lives lost in one day.
Such patterns cannot simply be brushed aside with denials, especially when they continue resurfacing.
Kenya has a painful history of politicians relying on informal groups to intimidate rivals, going back decades and peaking during the 2007–2008 post-election clashes.
The recent incident on Mombasa Road echoes those dark memories, raising fears of sliding back into instability.
Motorists were robbed, commuters stranded, and journalists beaten, with some media vehicles vandalized and crews injured.
Attacks on the press are particularly alarming, as they cripple accountability and shield powerful figures from scrutiny.
Nairobians deserve better than a governor whose name keeps coming up in connection with street violence. Hiring goons, this undermines governance, erodes trust, and makes the city unsafe for residents and investors alike.
With elections looming in 2027, leaders should be promoting dialogue, not chaos. Sakaja’s repeated denials ring hollow when the violence continues, leaving many to question his fitness to lead.
Unless firm investigations are carried out and accountability enforced, the capital risks becoming a battleground where ordinary people pay the ultimate price for the ambitions of politicians.
