Skip to main content Skip to page footer

Gachagua: 'My life is in danger'

Mr Gachagua highlighted incidents that he believes have formed a pattern that seeks to get at his life.

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua. In a protest later to IG Kanja, he claims his life is in danger. File photo

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua now says there are plans to assassinate him and is asking for his security to be reinstated.

In a letter dated April 15, 2025, addressed to the Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, the former DP says the violence that has been building around him is prelude to assassination.

Mr Gachagua says that the violence has been threatening his personal security, his family, supporters, and personal properties.

He told IG Kanja that he withdrew his security in a clear thought-out scheme "and backward conspiracy to make me vulnerable to organised criminal gangs in cohort with the Police and other Security Agencies and have been implementing the scheme".

He said the security was withdrawn so as to give evil schemers unfettered access to him.

"As you are aware, you have a constitutional responsibility and duty to protect life and property of every Kenyan as enshrined in the Constitution of Kenya 2010. However, in this case, Mr Kanja, you are clearly perpetuating crime and violence," Mr Gachagua wrote.

Mr Gachagua reminds Mr Kanja that he, until October 2024 when he was impeached, served as the second deputy president of the republic of Kenya.

"Might it have been forgotten to you IG, I served as the Member of Parliament for Mathira Constituency from the year 2017-2022 after which I was elected on a joint ticket with President William Ruto serving as the Second(2nd) Deputy President of The Republic of Kenya from September 13, 2022, up to and until the sham impeachment in 2024 on flimsy and trumped-up charges by the sponsors well known to you," Mr Gachagua writes in the letter.

He urged Mr Kanja "to further take note of your constitutional establishment under Article 245 of the Constitution and more specifically 245(2)(b) on independent command of the National Police Service... This is as you dine in the oligarchy and anarchism of the current unpopular regime".

Mr Gachagua highlighted incidents that he believes have formed a pattern that seeks to get at his life.

"On November 28, 2024, at a Solemn Funeral Service in Limuru, Kiambu County, I was attacked by organised criminal gangs, my vehicles damaged irreparably, women and children roughed, property of unknown value destroyed, mourners beaten up as police watched--this was an assassination attempt that failed," Mr Gachagua wrote.

Mr Gachagua said the attackers' photos and bios were shared online for more than one(1) month on, no action has been taken on either.

"Instead, politicians and leaders aligned to me including Kiambu Senator Karungo Wa Thang'wa, Former Limuru MP Peter Mwathi have been treated to harassment by security agencies over what is within your knowledge of whom the planners and executors were," he said.

The matter is made all the more intriguing by the National Police Service refusing to update the country on who is behind this violence, action being taken and when the first court case against the suspects whose faces and identifies are in the public domain.

Even after the DCI boss Mr Mohammed Amin told AVDelta News on that November 29, 2024, that "yesterday's Limuru incident (where Mr Gachagua was attacked) is under investigation and appropriate action will be taken both against the perpetrators and inciters..." on April 7, 2025, he on Tuesday failed to respond to our queries through text and calls on the same.

Mr Amin did not pick our calls or responded to our text messages to clarify on what happened to his promise as well as any new promises about the other attacks that Mr Gachagua has subsequently suffered.

National Police Service spokesperson Mr Michael Muchiri did not also respond to our queries about the same.

In their silence, Mr Gachagua went on to revisit the December 28, 2024, in Shamata, Nyandarua County where he claimed an inspector of police flanked by organised criminal gangs threw teargas canister at him to scatter his supporters and create a fertile avenue for him to be attacked.

"Again, the attack had an assassination intent. The inspector of police, well known to you, has not been disciplined for destabilizing peace and an attempted assassination," he said.

He again chronicled the events of January 18, 2025, at Kamukunji grounds in Nyeri Town, at a prayer rally organised by the popularly known Rev Maina Wa OTC.

"When my Spouse Pastor Dorcas Rigathi was preaching, an attack gang well known to you, descended on the congregation and took over the prayer meeting. My spouse had to be whisked away by her private security. The police in civilian attire joined forces with the criminals and hitherto, no action has been taken," Mr Gachagua said.

He added that "you (Kanja) was well aware that I was to attend these prayers and after an intelligence tip-off, I skipped as a responsible citizen to avoid what would have been a retaliation by my supporters which you know would have led to conflict, bad for our nation".

He further highlighted the events of March 23, 2025 at the ACK St Peters' Cathedral in Nyeri "where criminal gangs, well organized by yourselves and parties known to you attacked the Christian faithful where I was attending a Sunday service".

Mr Gachagua said "the police deliberately and idly watched mayhem as Christians were harassed and vehicles stoned in the church compound and outside... Again, you have kept a deaf ear and golden evil silence on the matter within your jurisdiction".

Another incident Mr Gachagua highlighted was the March 29, 2025 in Naivasha town where "a contingent of police officers under the command of area police boss beat and roughed up innocent and armless residents of the town who had organically gathered to greet me".

He added that "the same police officers, trailed my motorcade, harassed my staff up to Mai Mahiu Shopping Centre where they clobbered residents and threw teargas canisters to innocent citizens who were trying to speak to me and greet me".

All along the incidents, Mr Gachagua accuses Mr Kanja of exhibiting a silence loudest ever.

Another incident he cites is that of April 6, 2025, at a PCEA church service at Mwiki in Nairobi County.

"A battalion of furious gangsters wielding machetes and crude weapons stormed the church where I was worshipping and caused chaos on unthinkable magnitude; women, children and worshipers were treated to a cacophony of violence and not a single police officer responded despite the police station being a few meters from the church," he said.

Mr Gachagua added that "it is within your knowledge that the Deputy Inspector General of Police had instructed the police not to provide us with security".

He lamented that “you are aware that there have been deliberate plans to attack my homes in Nairobi, Nyeri and my properties across the country by individuals well know(n) to you or where you are a culpable accomplice. How would you take action anyway?”

Mr Gachagua also complained of hostile trailing by covert security agencies using both marked and unmarked vehicles.

"Take notice that, constantly, these security operatives trail and stalk me and my immediate family members in unmarked cars or and clandestine number plates. This is an affront to right to privacy," he said.

He slammed: “From the above known incidents and others known to you, this is clearly targeted at my life and that of my close family members and my supporters. Be advised that Kenya is a Constitutional Democracy; the rule of law cannot be applied selectively.”

He warned that "now that the people of Kenya are well aware of all these incidents and might anything happen to me or my family, this country will fall into unspeakable violence you can only imagine leading to political instability and breakdown of law and order".

Mr Gachagua reminded Mr Kanja that "in the run-up to the 2007 General Election in Kenya, similar patterns of incidents either soft or hard, exposed Kenya into international shame and your one-time holder of the office you do, found his way to the International Criminal Court-ICC for crimes against humanity".

Mr Gachagua said he is well protected under the Constitution of Kenya, under Chapter 4, the Bill of Rights, fundamental freedoms and rights are guaranteed to every Kenyan and not under the mercy of the State and its bureaucrats.

"Therefore, then, I demand as follows and be advised so Kanja:  Immediate arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators of violence, provide security in all public gatherings that I attend as a leader in this country and provide me with security with immediate effect," he said.

He added that Mr Kanja "cease and desist from interfering with peaceful gatherings of citizens, stop with immediate effect spy agents and other security agencies from stalking and trailing me and my family members and also I demand protection of my homes and property".

He concluded by asking Mr Kanja to take firm notice that further violence and assassination attempts meted on him whatsoever will be blamed on the Inspector General of Police.

"You will be personally responsible to the people of the Republic of Kenya and to the entire world," he wrote.

The letter is copied to President Ruto, Interior CS, Director General of the National Intelligence Service, National Police Service Commission's chair, Director General, Directorate of Criminal Investigations, the Independent Police Oversight Authority, Kenya Human Rights Commission, International Commission of Jurists, and all heads of Missions and Diplomatic Corps in Kenya.