Kitengela Rally Drama: Salasya Claims Teargas Incident Was Politically Scripted
There’s politics. And then there’s theatre.
Mumias East MP Peter Salasya isn’t buying what happened in Kitengela on Sunday. Not one bit.
After police lobbed teargas and fired shots in the air during an opposition rally led by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, many Kenyans were left confused. Was it state repression? Was it genuine political tension? Or something else entirely?
According to Salasya — something else.
Taking to his X account late Sunday night, February 15, 2026, the outspoken lawmaker made a bold claim: the chaos was stage-managed and funded by the government itself.
And just like that, the drama deepened.
Salasya’s Explosive Allegation
Salasya didn’t mince his words.
He argued that the Sifuna-led faction of ODM is being used to create the illusion that the party is split — a kind of political smoke screen meant to confuse Kenyans.
Even more striking? He suggested the police disruption wasn’t an attack on the opposition at all, but part of a script.
“Kitengela analyses why people are teargassed for them to run for their lives after they finish their speeches so that Kenyans believe it’s an anti-government movement yet are being oiled by the same government. Mchezo wa tauni wakora wao,” Salasya noted.
That statement alone has set social media buzzing. Because if true, it flips the entire narrative.
Was the rally really anti-government? Or was it political choreography?
Teargas, Gunshots and a Rally Cut Short
The Kitengela rally, part of the Linda Mwananchi tour, had drawn thousands — mostly young, energized supporters. There was excitement. There was defiance. There was anticipation.
Then things turned chaotic.
Police officers reportedly lobbed teargas canisters into the crowd. People scattered. Some ran blindly. Others tried to shield themselves from the smoke. Reports further indicate that shots were fired in the air, and the rally’s sound system and dais were damaged.
Just like that, the meeting ended.
No orderly closure. No final remarks. Just confusion and dust in the air.
And now — questions.
ODM’s Growing Internal Storm
But here’s where it gets even more complicated.
The rally wasn’t just about opposition politics. It was also about internal ODM tensions.
Senator Edwin Sifuna and his allies — including Embakasi East MP Babu Owino — have openly opposed a developing working relationship between ODM and the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ahead of the 2027 elections.
That resistance has created visible cracks within the Orange Democratic Party.
In fact, just days ago, ODM’s National Executive Council moved to oust Sifuna as Secretary General. That decision, however, was halted by the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal.
So yes — the battle isn’t only against the government.
It’s within the party itself.
Parallel Rallies, Parallel Narratives
While Sifuna’s faction was addressing supporters in Kitengela, another ODM faction led by Party Leader Oburu Odinga was holding a separate rally at Tononoka Grounds in Mombasa County.
Two rallies. Same party. Different directions.
If that doesn’t tell you something about the current state of ODM, what does?
For many Kenyans watching from the sidelines, the real question isn’t just who fired teargas — it’s whether ODM can hold itself together long enough to remain a formidable political force ahead of 2027.
What Happens Next?
Salasya’s claims have added fuel to an already burning fire.
If the chaos was indeed stage-managed, as he suggests, then the political landscape just got murkier. If not, then Kenya may be staring at deeper state-opposition tensions than previously thought.
Either way, one thing is clear: ODM’s internal struggle is no longer behind closed doors.
It’s playing out in public. Loudly.
And Kenyans are watching.
Also Read: Alai Downplays Sifuna Kitengela Rally Turnout After Police Disruption
Kitengela Rally Drama: Salasya Claims Teargas Incident Was Politically Scripted