NAIROBI, Kenya, June 30 — Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has launched a blistering attack on President William Ruto, accusing him of targeting the Kikuyu community through state-sponsored profiling and criminalization.
Gachagua, speaking in Nyeri on Wednesday, claimed that President Ruto was reviving a long-standing plan to marginalize the Mt. Kenya region, likening the current situation to the 2007 Post-Election Violence, in which the Kikuyu were victims of ethnic-based attacks.
“History is repeating itself, and the architect William Ruto is back on the deck. He is hell-bent on finishing his unfinished business with the people of Mt. Kenya. Destroy their businesses and make them the black sheep of Kenya,” said Gachagua.
Kikuyu Community Being Profiled — Gachagua Claims
The former DP alleged that the economic sabotage of Kikuyu-owned businesses and the use of terrorism charges against citizens from Mt. Kenya were part of a broader plan to isolate and criminalize the community.
“When a police station in Mawego was torched, suspects were charged with arson. But when it happens in Kiambu, suspects from the Kikuyu nation are charged with terrorism,” he noted.
Among the examples cited was the ongoing case involving Manyatta MP Gitonga Mukunji and his allies, accused of financing violent protests and planning civil unrest.
This comes amid nationwide unrest, with Gen Z-led protests against police brutality and government excesses dominating public discourse. Videos and reports from civil society groups show heavy police response, some of which have sparked investigations by IPOA.
Alleged State Militia and NIS Death Squad
In one of his most damning allegations, Gachagua claimed that a 101-member killer squad had been deployed in the Mt. Kenya region during the Saba Saba protests, operating under the command of National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director General Noordin Haji.
“NIS has procured Subarus to give the impression that it is the DCI shooting and maiming. This squad of 101 was formed when I was still in government,” said Gachagua.
He further alleged that the unit — armed with assault rifles and traveling in unmarked Subarus — was specially trained to execute abductions and extrajudicial killings under the guise of maintaining security.
Gachagua claimed the deployment was part of a coordinated operation by state actors and pro-government politicians to frame the Kikuyu community for the unrest during anti-government protests.
“The militia were procured by Ruto, governors, and MPs allied to him,” he added, saying they were tasked with destroying specific properties under police cover.
A Growing Rift in Government
This latest salvo deepens the rift between Gachagua and President Ruto, following a series of public spats and political realignments. Gachagua, increasingly vocal since his fallout with Ruto, has positioned himself as a defender of Mt. Kenya unity, frequently calling for economic justice for the region.
His remarks are expected to escalate tensions in the Kenya Kwanza government and could significantly shape the political realignments ahead of the 2027 General Election.
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