Police raid Gachagua’s homes in night-time operation amid uproar over ‘inciteful’ remarks

Police officers have allegedly raided the residences of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua in Nyeri and Nairobi in the wee hours of the night.

According to Gachagua’s close allies, the move was part of a wider operation by state agencies to hunt down the former DP following controversial remarks he made in a recent interview that have been deemed inciteful by government officials.

According to his lawyer, Ndegwa Njiru, officers drawn from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) took control of Gachagua’s homes in Karen and Wamunyoro without explanation.

“To all media houses, kindly be informed that the DCI has taken hostage of all H.E. Rigathi Gachagua’s [homes] both in Karen and at Wamunyoro. They are currently [hunting for] him. We are yet to be informed of the reason,” Njiru said on Monday.

Cleophas Malalah, the recently appointed deputy party leader of Gachagua’s new political outfit, the Democratic Change Party (DCP), termed the alleged raids unlawful and politically driven.

“This evening, officers drawn from the DCI, GSU, NIS and other special forces have raided and illegally occupied my party leader, H.E. Rigathi Gachagua’s homes in Wamunyoro, Mathira and even Karen, attempting to arrest him for only God knows what. I take this earliest opportunity to strongly condemn the misuse of our disciplined forces to settle political scores by this failing Ruto regime,” he said on Sunday.

“No amount of intimidation or dictatorship can stop the inevitable; Ruto’s one-term reality. He must go, and go he will,” Malalah said.

Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka also weighed in, describing the alleged raids as “primitive and cowardly” acts of abduction, and urged the government to act within the law.

“Mr Ruto, if you want to arrest Rigathi Gachagua, do it the right way; follow the law,” Musyoka said, assuring the opposition’s willingness to present Gachagua to the DCI if formally summoned.

The developments follow recent controversial remarks made by Gachagua during an appearance on The Obinna Show.

The former deputy president touched on the 2007 post-election violence, a period during which over 1,200 people died in ethnic clashes, suggesting that current political manoeuvres by President William Ruto could ignite similar unrest.

The government has since interpreted his comments as inciteful and a threat to national stability.

Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has condemned Gachagua’s utterances, saying they pose a serious risk to peace and order.

“Those preaching and prophesying violence pose an equal threat as criminal gangs. We must all promote peace,” Kindiki said.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen also warned that Gachagua is being closely monitored over what he termed as dangerous rhetoric.

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“There are people who think they are above the law. Under our watch, this country is not going to condone anybody who wants to burn this nation. We will not allow you to have a free space to operate on matters of violence; you are on the government’s radar day and night,” Murkomen said.

In his defence, Gachagua maintains that his comments were taken out of context and insists he was echoing public concerns over a potential rigging of the upcoming elections by the Ruto administration.

“I was simply voicing the fears of Kenyans who believe President Ruto intends to rig the elections,” Gachagua said.