Nyandarua Senator John Methu—one of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s closest allies—claims he narrowly escaped arrest in Kakamega after President William Ruto allegedly dispatched police officers to seize him.
The senator, defiant and unshaken, shared the chilling experience publicly, accusing the head of state of weaponizing state security to silence dissent.
This failed arrest attempt, coming hot on the heels of other intimidation claims against Ruto’s administration, paints a dark picture of political suppression in Kenya’s fragile democracy.
John Methu Arrest Drama Unfolds in Kakamega
Senator John Methu says police officers nearly captured him in Kakamega County on Saturday, May 31, in what he calls a politically motivated attempt ordered by President Ruto.
“Yesterday, I was in Kakamega, where Riggy G had sent me,” Methu told a charged crowd on Sunday. “He (Ruto) sent police officers to apprehend me, but I looked for young people and we dared him to try.”
According to Methu, once the officers realized they were outnumbered and exposed, they fled the scene in a panic. “William Ruto’s officers left in a rush,” he stated confidently.
This is the latest chapter in a growing battle between President Ruto and a rising faction of his own government, led by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua. Methu, a vocal supporter of Gachagua, says the regime is cracking down on opposition figures within its own ranks.
At the same rally, Methu pointed to the recent arrest of Rose Njeri, a 35-year-old software engineer who had built a website allowing Kenyans to reject the Finance Bill 2025. Her sudden detention, he says, is evidence that the government is shaken by the growing resistance and is now using police force to silence voices calling for transparency and justice.
The failed Kakamega arrest wasn’t the only incident that day. At another rally in Lari, Kiambu County, goons reportedly tried to disrupt Gachagua’s event. However, youths loyal to the Deputy President quickly intervened and neutralized the threat before any violence broke out.
Gachagua’s Allies Face Mounting Pressure
Methu’s brush with arrest follows the shocking case of Juja MP George Koimburi, another outspoken Gachagua loyalist. Koimburi was reported missing for 18 hours last week, only to be found dumped in a coffee plantation in Kiambu County.
Gachagua later visited Koimburi in hospital and said the MP had been tortured. He could barely speak, suffering vocal cord damage and soft tissue injuries. Gachagua accused the state of orchestrating the kidnapping to intimidate political rivals.
However, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) issued a conflicting version. They claimed Koimburi had been staying at a hotel that night. The agency detained three of his acquaintances, who allegedly confirmed this story.
Many Kenyans aren’t buying the DCI’s explanation. To Gachagua’s camp, this is just another smokescreen to cover state-sanctioned intimidation. They believe a wider campaign is underway to crush opposition from within Kenya Kwanza.
For them, the crackdown is no longer just about protestors or civil society. It’s about eliminating rival power centers in government.
Rising Fears Over State Surveillance and Repression
Methu’s story isn’t just about politics—it’s about power, fear, and freedom. His claim that police were sent by the president to silence him is alarming. If true, it would show that Kenya’s law enforcement agencies are no longer impartial, but tools of political enforcement.
The fact that Methu had to rally local youth for protection highlights how vulnerable even sitting senators feel in the current climate. There is growing anxiety among citizens and leaders alike that political disagreements could now lead to police abductions or worse.
Digital freedom is under threat too. The arrest of Rose Njeri, who was merely offering a civic platform against the Finance Bill, signals a dangerous shift toward targeting tech-savvy dissenters. It’s no longer just rallies being disrupted—online expression is now a target.
For many observers, this raises a fundamental question: is Kenya still a democracy, or has it become a state where power is preserved through fear?
The alleged attempt to arrest John Methu in broad daylight sends a loud and chilling message. And if voices like his are not safe, then no Kenyan with an opinion is.
