Kasarani Member of Parliament and Nairobi gubernatorial aspirant Ronald Karauri/HANDOUT
The country continues to witness incidents of political violence, raising concerns over growing intolerance as preparations for the 2027 General Election gather pace.
Kasarani Member of Parliament and Nairobi gubernatorial aspirant Ronald Karauri has condemned an alleged attack on his team during a public engagement with residents of Umoja Two in Embakasi West Constituency on Friday.
In a statement, Karauri said he had been meeting residents to listen to their concerns over governance when the gathering was disrupted by a group of individuals.
He alleged that the attackers vandalised vehicles, assaulted several people and stole mobile phones.
Karauri further accused a city leader, whom he claimed serves on a board in Nairobi County, of orchestrating the attack.
"As we concluded the meeting, it was unfortunate that our team came under attack and our vehicles were vandalised. Several innocent people were seriously injured, and many lost their mobile phones at the hands of goons," Karauri said.
The MP also praised residents who, he said, came to the aid of his team during the incident.
"But perhaps what stood out most was not the destruction—it was the response of the people. Residents stood firm, protected us, and ensured the safety of my team. That act alone reminded me that Nairobians are tired of fear and are ready for leadership that listens instead of leadership that retaliates," he said.
Karauri, who is seeking the Nairobi governorship in the 2027 General Election, maintained that the incident would not deter his political ambitions.
"To those who believe violence can stop an idea whose time has come: Nairobi deserves better. And we will not be intimidated," he said.
Police had not issued an official statement on the incident by the time of publication.
Efforts to obtain a response from the accused were unsuccessful. Calls to his known phone number went unanswered, and he had not responded to text messages seeking comment on Karauri's allegations by the time of publication.
The incident comes amid growing concern over political violence as the country heads towards next year's General Election.
On June 14, 2026, the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) warned of increasing political intolerance, organised intimidation and violence, saying the trend poses a serious threat to the country's peace, democracy and national unity.
"Any attempt to disrupt lawful gatherings or silence differing opinions through intimidation or violence is a direct affront to the Constitution and the democratic values that bind our nation together," the commission said in part.
According to the NCIC, such conduct undermines constitutional freedoms, erodes public confidence in democratic institutions and threatens the social cohesion that Kenyans have worked to build over the years.
