Tension escalated in Kakamega County on Saturday after teargas canisters were lobbed at organisers preparing for the highly anticipated Linda Mwananchi rally.

Images circulating online show plainclothed police officers allegedly throwing the canisters, temporarily disrupting early preparations at the venue.

The rally is expected to draw several prominent opposition leaders, including Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, and Siaya Governor James Orengo, among other allied politicians. The incident follows remarks by Western Region Police Commander Issa Mohamud, who alleged that Senator Sifuna intended to transport armed individuals to the rally in Kakamega town without notifying security authorities.

Speaking to journalists, Mohamud claimed he had received intelligence reports suggesting that individuals travelling from Nairobi for the rally were armed with rifles. He further stated that no formal permit request had been submitted to police regarding the planned gathering.

The teargas incident also comes barely a day after a truck associated with the Linda Mwananchi movement was stoned en route to Kakamega for the same rally. According to videos shared by Senator Sifuna, the convoy was attacked at Kona Mbaya trading centre on Friday morning.

Footage shows the truck’s turnboy chanting movement slogans moments before a stone struck the vehicle. Following the incident, Sifuna, Owino and Orengo vowed that the rally would proceed as planned despite what they described as intimidation.

The developments unfold against the backdrop of a February 15, 2026 rally in Kitengela that ended in tragedy. During the event, 28-year-old Vincent Oyamo was shot and killed.

A postmortem conducted by government pathologists concluded that Oyamo died from a gunshot wound to the left eye. The autopsy report indicated that the bullet caused severe head injuries, leading to his death. Authorities have yet to issue a comprehensive statement addressing Saturday’s teargas incident in Kakamega.