Gachagua Hits Back at Calls for His Arrest, Blames Government for Protest Chaos
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua issued a firm and emotional response on Thursday, June 26, to growing calls for his arrest.
In a lengthy and sharply worded statement, Gachagua condemned the government, accusing it of being behind the violence and confusion witnessed during the mass protests on Wednesday, June 25.
Gachagua strongly criticised the police for using live bullets and excessive force on young, peaceful demonstrators. He squarely blamed the state for orchestrating the chaos, saying that the brutal actions of the police were deliberate and unjustified.
“I strongly condemn the use of live bullets and excessive police brutality against peaceful and unarmed Gen Z protesters,” Gachagua stated in his detailed 18-point press release.
The former deputy president claimed that there was a carefully planned scheme to block protesters from accessing the city through major roads like Kiambu Road and Thika Road.
According to him, this left many protesters stranded while thugs caused destruction and looted businesses in Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD). He also raised serious concerns about targeted looting.
Gachagua, who is also the leader of the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP), alleged that the attacks on businesses in the Nairobi CBD were not random.
Instead, he claimed that certain shops—especially those owned by people from a specific community—were identified in advance and singled out for looting. He said this operation was coordinated by political figures aligned with the current regime.
“We have reliable information that downtown Nairobi businesses, particularly those belonging to individuals from a particular region, were deliberately targeted. County officials from Nairobi, along with others, are believed to have led this operation.
This cruel and selective attack was directed by politicians loyal to this rogue administration,” Gachagua added.
His comments came just hours after Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen issued a statement branding the June 25 protests as acts of terrorism disguised as civil unrest.
Murkomen claimed that the protests were part of a larger, pre-planned conspiracy to overthrow the government and destabilise the country.
According to Murkomen, the protests were not peaceful in any way. “What we saw was not peaceful demonstration. It was chaos, violence and lawlessness.
We denounce the so-called peaceful protesters who engaged in looting, destruction, sexual violence and attacks on the public,” the Interior CS stated.
He went further to reveal that some of the criminal elements involved in the protests had specifically targeted police officers, stolen guns from police stations, and even taken uniforms. Murkomen confirmed that firearms were stolen from two different police stations in Kiambu County.
However, Gachagua did not take these allegations lightly. He fired back at Murkomen, accusing the CS of making reckless, misleading and divisive statements. He urged the government to stop using outdated scare tactics and face the reality of Kenyans expressing their frustrations through protests.
While Murkomen condemned political leaders who had expressed support for the demonstrations, Gachagua used his statement to shift the blame back to the government. He argued that suppressing protests through intimidation and violence was not the solution and only deepened public anger.
In a show of empathy, Gachagua also disclosed that he had cancelled all his planned media appearances in the Embu region as a sign of respect for those who lost their lives during the protests.
He said he was standing in solidarity with the families mourning their loved ones and condemned the unnecessary loss of life.
This heated exchange between Gachagua and Murkomen reflects the deepening divide between opposition voices and the government over the handling of public dissent and growing dissatisfaction among the youth. As the tension continues to rise, the country waits to see what steps both sides will take next.
Join Gen Z New WhatsApp Channel #JusticeforAlbertOjwang To Stay Updated On time
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaWT5gSGufImU8R0DO30
