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Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua Tuesday, April 15, said that his life, and those of his close family members, are under threat. He linked the claims directly to individuals within state security apparatuses.
In a formal letter addressed to President William Ruto and Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, Gachagua described a series of unsettling incidents, which he said amounted to orchestrated assassination attempts. He painted a picture of a high-level conspiracy designed to neutralize him politically and physically, citing the systematic withdrawal of his security detail and repeated attacks on his public engagements.
Gachagua’s claims come just months after his controversial impeachment in October 2024, a move he continues to challenge in the High Court. He maintains that the process was flawed, marred by procedural injustices, and that the accusations that led to his removal from office were unfounded.
“These threats are not imagined,” he wrote in his letter, “They are real, and they are part of a wider strategy to silence me.”
Once a close ally of President Ruto, Gachagua’s political fortunes shifted dramatically in mid-2024, as internal power struggles within the ruling party intensified. His impeachment was seen by many as the climax of a long-simmering fallout between the two leaders. Though Gachagua has kept a relatively low profile since his ouster, he has recently begun reemerging in political circles—attending grassroots events and speaking out on national issues.
It was at one such event, a prayer rally in Nyeri on January 18, 2025, that Gachagua alleges one of the assassination attempts took place. According to him, as his wife, Pastor Dorcas Rigathi, delivered a sermon at Kamukunji Grounds, a gang descended on the crowd, forcing her private security team to evacuate her from the scene. The event was organized by the popular preacher Rev. Maina Wa OTC.
Gachagua claimed that the attackers were known to the Inspector General and that police officers stood by as chaos unfolded. He said he had deliberately skipped the rally to prevent potential confrontation between his supporters and the attackers.
The former Deputy President also cited an earlier incident on November 28, 2024, during a funeral in Limuru, Kiambu County. He claimed that organized criminal groups disrupted the ceremony, destroying vehicles, assaulting mourners—including women and children—and vandalizing property. Again, he accused the police of passivity, calling the attack a “failed assassination attempt.”
Beyond physical attacks, Gachagua alleged that operatives from the National Intelligence Service (NIS) have been trailing him and his family in unmarked vehicles or those bearing fake plates—an allegation that, if true, raises disturbing questions about the use of state resources for personal or political vendettas.
“This surveillance is unwarranted and unlawful,” he stated, demanding an immediate end to what he described as psychological intimidation.
In addition to urging the President and IG Kanja to act, Gachagua has called for the arrest and prosecution of individuals involved in the attacks. He also requested that security personnel be deployed to all public events he attends and that security be reinforced at his residences in Nairobi, Nyeri, and other locations.
He concluded his letter by emphasizing that the matter remains active in court and warned that any further attempts to intimidate him or his family would be treated as violations of his constitutional rights.
The government has yet to respond publicly to the allegations, but the accusations have stirred fresh debate about the politicization of security forces and the safety of opposition figures in Kenya’s evolving political landscape.
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