ODM Deputy Party Leader Abdulswamad Nassir has vowed legal action against Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, accusing him of making defamatory claims intended to undermine confidence in the ongoing Magarini by-election.
Speaking during a briefing on Monday evening, Nassir urged Kilifi Governor Gideon Mung’aro to consider taking legal action, insisting that Gachagua’s allegations amounted to character assassination.
“If I were the governor of Kilifi and such allegations came to me, I would strongly consider suing that gentleman who, to me, is a former disgraced Deputy President, nothing else. By doing this, he is just acting so that his party can be mentioned,” Nassir said.
Nassir also dismissed claims that Governor Mung’aro had used county funds to campaign for ODM candidate Harrison Garama Kombe. He stressed that all campaign activities were funded through individual contributions.
“He should leave us. If he had evidence, he should have come forward. His comments are uncalled for. We have been campaigning just like other candidates, and we have no hidden agenda,” Nassir added.
The ODM deputy leader argued that opposition parties, sensing defeat, were resorting to political theatrics, while expressing confidence that Kombe would secure victory. He encouraged supporters to remain calm, turn out in large numbers, and urged state agencies to ensure peace and security.
Meanwhile, Governor Mung’aro, through his lawyers, has demanded an apology from Gachagua over the corruption and vote-rigging claims made during a televised interview on Sunday. The governor described the allegations as baseless and defamatory.
In a legal letter, Mung’aro’s team outlined his verified movements on the dates cited by Gachagua, noting that he had been engaged in community meetings and rallies across Adu Ward and had not interacted with IEBC officials as alleged. The lawyers called Gachagua’s remarks misleading, degrading, and alarmist, aimed at stirring unnecessary tension ahead of the by-election.
ODM’s warning and Mung’aro’s legal response set the stage for a tense pre-election period in Magarini, highlighting rising political stakes and the scrutiny of candidates’ conduct.
