The United Opposition on Sunday claimed that the government is plotting to arrest Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua and charging him in court as a way of taming his high-octane politics.
Speaking in Murang’a County and led by Wiper Patriotic Party boss Kalonzo Musyoka, DAP-K’s Eugine Wamalawa and Mr Gachagua worshipped at Kahuro Anglican Church and addressed roadside rallies, they said the arrest is being planned in accordance with recent utterances by President William Ruto and repeated by Senate majority leader Mr Aaron Cheruiyot.
Mr Musyoka and Mr Wamalwa dared the government, saying they will stand by the DCP leader the same way they did during the October 2024 impeachment where Mr Gachagua was removed from office after serving for two years.
Speaking on Saturday in Kericho County, Senator Cheruiyot warned Mr Gachagua to start getting prepared for life in jail.
“I urge him to get familiar with jail uniform because it is a matter of time before he gets there,” he said.
Mr Cheruiyot pursued the same narrative his boss President Ruto had set in motion while on a tour of Western region where he accused unnamed people of impregnating and murdering women as well as dispossessing widows off their wealth.
Mr Musyoka warned president Ruto that not all times do persecutions using the justice system work “since even the Prime Minister of Malaysia Mr Anwar Ibrahim had faced such persecutions in 1998 and 2008 but overcame to become who he is in 2022”.
Mr Wamalwa said both President Ruto and Mr Cheruiyot’s utterances are prelude to a bigger scheme being hatched and the intention is to arrest Mr Gachagua so as to manage the Mountain politics.
Mr Gachagua urged his supporters to stay steadfast in their support for him. "The man I am competing with is a known crook capable of doing anything but with you solidly behind me his scheme will be rendered impotent.”
Mr Wamalwa said the moment the country is in is fluid since the incumbent appears hell bent to use jail, bankruptcy and death as means to an end.
“But my message to President Ruto is simple: If you dare arrest him, be ready for the consequences. We know your mathematics are bad, you cannot make them add up by threatening the opposition. You arrest Mr Gachagua, your problems will come in torrents than they are right now,” he said.
Mr Musyoka said the government is behaving in a desperate manner where its senior leaders are resorting to vulgarity, propaganda and unsubstantiated claims.
“What we will do is not to engage you along those lines. We are amazed at how the president has degenerated into lacking in values and standing of the high calling that is his office. Desperation is a bad thing but we understand your dilemma. We know 2027 is giving you a scare,” he said.
"The Gachagua arrest calls are loudest in the Broad-Based government where there are those eyeing favours and positions ahead of 2027.”
He said he has been in Nyanza politics for the past 15 years where he was partnering with the late Raila Odinga in presidential contest.
“I can tell President Ruto for free that if he is planning arresting Mr Gachagua to appease the Nyanza region then he is mistaken. The people of Nyanza are a conscientious lot. I know them. I can tell you for free that they will not vote for you,” he said.
Mr Musyoka urged the government to refuse the temptation to inflame the passions of Kenyans by acting in a rash manner.
“After illegally impeaching Gachagua, you are now threatening to arrest him. As a senior counsel I can tell you that there is no case in that impeachment. Ruto is inflaming the passions of Kenyans. There is no way you will silence Mr Gachagua,” he said.
At the same time, the leaders urged President Ruto and his allies to stop badmouthing the clergy and the church.
“Keep off attacking clergy and church. The government led by the President is attacking everyone and everything. Mr President you are now criticising the church that installed you in power. For the first time, in 2022, the church had a presidential candidate that was you. You betrayed the good governance covenant you had with the church,” Mr Gachagua said.
He said it is in President Ruto's government that churches have been attacked by goons as police watched.
“No suspect so far has been arrested. Your government has been attacking churches yet you cry that the church has no kind word for you. You crossed the red line. Your goose is cooked. The horses have left the stable. And it was all your undoing. You betrayed those who made you president,” he added.
As a show of respect for the church, Mr Musyoka said: “We are going to exercise self-censorship. No campaigning, no receiving of defectors, no tasking others to join Wantam and no personalised attacks against anyone while we are hosted by the church.”
