Rift emerges in opposition as planned Meru-Isiolo rallies are abruptly halted

A planned opposition mobilisation drive in Meru and Isiolo has collapsed at the last minute after key figures publicly disagreed over its legitimacy, exposing widening cracks inside the alliance just as leaders sought to present a united front in the region.

The campaign trail, which had been heavily advertised for weeks, was expected to cover at least 22 stopovers across the two counties and mark a major joint push by opposition leaders in Mt Kenya East.

It also carried political weight as it was to be the first major regional engagement without DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua, who travelled to London on Friday last week for diaspora meetings. However, the much-anticipated tour never took off after sharp disagreements emerged within the organising team hours before the first event.

The first public sign of trouble came when DCP organising secretary Mithika Nturi distanced the party from the planned gatherings and urged supporters not to attend. His statement quickly changed the mood on the ground, creating confusion among supporters who had already been mobilised across several venues.

Nturi said the party had not given approval for participation in the meetings and insisted that the programme being circulated did not reflect the party’s position.

“This is in reference to a poster I have seen circulating on social media in regard to attendance of my party leader to the PNU party meetings scheduled on 20th to 2 h this month. For avoidance of Kirinyaga residents protest against Gachagua’s sentiments on Governor Anne Waiguru /HANDOUT “As far as I’m concerned, my party leader is busy in the United Kingdom, attending diaspora meetings to popularise our party. I therefore urge all our party supporters to ignore this misleading information and keep off.”

The rejection effectively threw the entire tour into uncertainty, as it was largely being coordinated as a joint opposition initiative involving allies of PNU leader Peter Munya. Organisers had positioned it as a show of strength across Meru and Isiolo, but the sudden split exposed coordination gaps within the coalition.

As pressure mounted, Peter Munya later announced the postponement of the rallies, saying the decision had been made out of respect for ongoing national concerns linked to fuel protests and discussions aimed at resolving the crisis.

“In solidarity with the people of Kenya who are suffering, we have decided to reschedule our united opposition rallies,” he said. “It is unfortunate but we think we need to give time for those negotiations that are ongoing to resolve the issue of fuel prices.”

He added that the tour would now be pushed to later dates in June, shifting what had been a tightly planned schedule into uncertainty and further fuelling speculation over the true cause of the cancellation.

Behind the official explanations, political observers say the developments point to deeper disagreements within the opposition camp, with competing interests and unclear coordination now shaping major joint activities. Some insiders also link the tension to growing rivalry among key leaders in Mt Kenya East, especially around influence and future political positioning.

The dispute is also seen as part of an emerging power struggle between Munya and Nturi, who are both considered influential figures in Meru politics. Their differing political directions have increasingly tested efforts to maintain unity within the broader opposition formation.

What was expected to be a high-impact political tour has now ended in disarray, leaving questions over the cohesion of the opposition as it attempts to strengthen its presence in key regions.