Former Meru governor Kawira Mwangaza said she was injured on Saturday when police abruptly disrupted a gathering she had attended.
Her driver also was hit and seriously injured. He was seen bleed from the forehead after being hit by an object.
The incident occurred shortly after the former county boss and her entourage arrived at a church-hosted event.
Police officers detonated multiple teargas canisters to disperse the crowd, bringing the event to a sudden and chaotic end.
One canister was reportedly thrown into Mwangaza’s vehicle while she and her husband were still inside.
Mwangaza’s communications team confirmed that both the former governor and her driver were rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment.
The driver is said to have sustained a head injury, while Mwangaza was affected by the teargas fumes and was reportedly unable to speak immediately afterward.
“This is intimidation. They even threw tear gas into her car,” said Nchamba Mbithi, a close ally of Mwangaza, visibly upset as he addressed reporters.
“This was a peaceful church event. Why would police come and disrupt us like that?”Human rights lawyer Mugambi Imanyara, who was part of the delegation, condemned the police operation as unlawful and heavy-handed.
He announced that legal proceedings would be initiated to challenge what he described as “abuse of authority” by law enforcement officers.
“We had submitted proper notice for this event. There was no legal justification for what the police did today,” said Imanyara. “If this continues, we will be heading to court.”
Authorities on the ground reportedly justified the use of force by citing intelligence reports warning of potential clashes between rival political groups.
However, Mwangaza’s allies dismissed this claim, insisting the event was strictly religious and peaceful in nature.
“This was a church function, not a political rally,” said Mbithi.
Mwangaza, who has faced repeated disruptions during her public engagements even after leaving office, once again blamed the state for misusing security agencies to settle political scores.
“This is not the first time,” her team said in the statement. “The pattern is clear—targeting her events, frustrating her supporters, and weaponizing the police to silence her.”
As of Sunday morning, no official police statement had been released regarding the incident.
Mwangaza’s legal team is expected to file a formal complaint in the coming days, officials said.
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