Mukurwe-ini MP John Kaguchia has fired a fresh salvo at the Kenya Kwanza administration, accusing it of sliding into autocracy. In a blistering statement, the lawmaker decried the shrinking civic space and the state's heavy-handed tactics against dissenting voices.

The political temperature in the Mt. Kenya region continues to rise as Mukurwe-ini Member of Parliament John Kaguchia steps up his criticism of the government he was once aligned with. Breaking rank with the establishment, Kaguchia has issued a stern condemnation of what he terms a "systematic assault" on the constitutional freedoms of expression and association. His remarks come against a backdrop of increasing police interference in public gatherings and the perceived persecution of allies of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.

Kaguchia's stance is significant. As a legislator from the President's political backyard, his dissent signals a widening fracture within the ruling coalition. "We did not vote for a return to the dark days where holding an opinion was a crime," Kaguchia stated, referencing the era of single-party rule. "The Constitution of 2010 is not a suggestion; it is the supreme law. When the government uses state machinery to disperse peaceful prayer meetings or intimidate young Kenyans on social media, they are not projecting strength; they are projecting fear."

The Context: A Region in Flux

The MP's comments are not in isolation. They follow a series of incidents in early 2026 where prayer rallies attended by leaders perceived to be sympathetic to the ousted Deputy President were disrupted by what Kaguchia describes as "state-sponsored goons" and heavy police deployments. He specifically cited the disruption of events in Nyeri, where teargas was used on congregants, as a low point for the administration.

This battle for the "soul of the Mountain" has transformed into a battle for civil liberties. Kaguchia argues that the government is conflating political opposition with criminal activity to justify crackdowns. "You cannot criminalize association," he argued. "If people want to meet to pray, or to discuss the economy, or to cry about their coffee returns, that is their right. To send police to beat them is an admission that you have lost the argument."

The "Rose Njeri" Precedent

The MP also revisited the case of activists like Rose Njeri, who have faced arrest for participating in protests. He drew a direct line between the government's rhetoric on the "Gen Z" protests of 2024/2025 and its current actions. According to Kaguchia, the promise of a "bottom-up" listening government has been replaced by a "top-down" silencing regime. He warned that suppressing legitimate grievances through force only bottles up pressure that will eventually explode.

A Call to Parliament

Kaguchia challenged his colleagues in the National Assembly to reclaim their oversight role. He accused Parliament of becoming a rubber stamp for the Executive, failing to check the excesses of the security apparatus. "We are the representatives of the people, not the representatives of the Executive to the people," he asserted. He called for the summoning of the Interior Cabinet Secretary to explain the recent wave of prohibitions on political gatherings.

As the 2027 election cycle begins to appear on the distant horizon, Kaguchia's gamble is clear: he is betting that the electorate values their freedom more than party loyalty. Whether this bold stance will galvanize a new political movement or lead to his isolation remains to be seen, but for now, the MP for Mukurwe-ini is refusing to be silenced.

"They may have the teargas," Kaguchia concluded, "but the people have the truth. And the truth, like a seed, will always find a way to grow."