Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has accused the government of using the recent chaos during the youth-led protests to scapegoat leaders and suppress dissent, dismissing the “coup plot” claims made by President William Ruto as fiction.
Speaking during a Sunday service at the Anglican Church of Kenya Diocese in Nyahururu, Laikipia County, Gachagua distanced himself from the destruction witnessed during the June 25 demonstrations, particularly in the Mt Kenya region, and blamed the state for what he termed as calculated intimidation.
“I had no role in the destruction. It is the government that bears full responsibility for what happened. These accusations are part of a calculated scheme to paint me and other leaders in a bad light, especially in our own backyard,” Gachagua said.
President Ruto had earlier hinted that the protests, which turned violent in several parts of the country, bore hallmarks of a coup attempt. Gachagua, however, firmly rejected the claim, insisting the youth were exercising their democratic right to protest against bad governance.
“There was no coup. What we saw was the youth standing up against oppression and bad governance. The coup narrative is just a convenient excuse to avoid addressing the real issues raised by the young people,” he said.
Gachagua accused the government of resorting to fear and propaganda instead of engaging meaningfully with the youth, whom he described as “patriots confronting a broken system.”
Amid growing speculation about his political plans, the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader affirmed that he was rallying with like-minded leaders across the country to build a nationwide movement aimed at liberating Kenya from corruption and poor leadership.
He also posted a biblical verse on social media to rally his supporters, quoting Ezra 10:4: “Rise up; this matter is in your hands. We will support you, so take courage and do it.”
Gachagua also challenged the official narrative surrounding the June 25 raid on a police post in Kikuyu, Kiambu County, where police reported that five guns, including two AK-47 rifles, were stolen after rioters set the post ablaze.
The former DP dismissed the incident as a state-orchestrated setup.
"What you’re hearing about a police station being burnt in Kikuyu is a lie. Who can attack a police station? You don’t have anything, you don’t have a gun, and the police there are armed."
Gachagua questioned the feasibility of the reported attack, adding: “Ati inawezekana ati watu wameingia polisi, ati wamechoma police station, wameenda, how?”
(You mean it’s possible people entered a police station, burnt it down, and left? How?).
He alleged that the event was staged to criminalise the youth and silence leaders from the region.
“All those things were staged so that our youth can be harassed, and so that our leaders can be frustrated,” he said.
Gachagua declared that he would not sit back and allow the intimidation to continue.
“And I will not allow it. Mimi sitakubali,” he said.
He further claimed that senior police commanders had been summoned to State House for a meeting aimed at planning actions against selected leaders.
“The meeting that happened yesterday at State House, all police were summoned so that they could frustrate these leaders,” he alleged.
