Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has revealed that the State has now completely withdrawn his security, accusing him of sponsoring dissent against President William Ruto’s government.
This came as confidential sources in the Interior ministry told Nation that "serious powers in this country want Mr Gachagua curtailed from throwing the country into an early campaign mood, to help the government implement development projects".
The sources added that Mr Gachagua appears hell-bent to lead a rebellion against the government, hence he must be checked.
"Here we have a man who we rationally advised to honourably resign instead of waiting to be impeached. We had guaranteed him that he would retain his security, budget, benefits and be facilitated to carry on with a political rejuvenation programme ahead of 2027," a source in the ministry said.
The source added that "our seniors from high offices have directed us to treat Mr Gachagua in a manner that does not give him much space to roam the country."
Mr Gachagua, yesterday through his private Secretary Munene wa Mumbi told Nation that trouble started after President Ruto was booed in a Catholic church two weekends ago in Embu County.
"Then followed last Friday's incident in Murang'a County where during the burial of Mark Wainaina (nominated MCA), when mourners refused to have the President and Deputy President Kithure Kindiki's condolences speeches read," Mr Mumbi said.
Mr Gachagua did not attend the Murang'a burial.
He added that when Mr Gachagua visited Murang'a County where he worshipped at Kangari AIPCA church on Sunday, the two remaining guards were withdrawn.
"It is true that as we speak, Mr Gachagua has no single security officer provided by the government. When we enquired from government offices, we were told that Mr Gachagua must cease political activities," Mr Mumbi responded.
200 security officers
Mr Gachagua's more than 200 security officers were withdrawn immediately after the Senate confirmed the National Assembly impeachment from the position of Deputy President on October 17, 2024.
The officers spread in both his Nairobi and rural homes, as well as those directly attached to protect him, were withdrawn as he was fighting for his life at Karen Hospital, where he had been admitted after he suddenly fell ill.
Mr Gachagua had revealed to the country how he was left unguarded in his hospital bed "to a point I had to call my wife and children to stay near me as security agents hovered around enquiring whether I had died".
Mr Mumbi said Mr Gachagua's disclosure made the state return four armed security officers to protect the former DP.
"The four officers from the General Service Unit (GSU) were later replaced with four Administration Police officers," Mr Mumbi said.
He added that when the Catholic faithful jeered the president in Embu, the four officers were withdrawn that evening.
Mr Gachagua attended the church function alongside President Ruto but overshadowed his former boss when the gathering celebrated him with wild cheers.
"The state two days later, assigned Mr Gachagua two bodyguards when he complained on a social media platform of being trailed by suspicious men riding in unmarked cars or those with falsified number plates. The two officers were withdrawn on Sunday.
Mr Mumbi said "we are now reporting to the country that Mr Gachagua has no single officer guarding him, with conditions set that he must stop his political activities".
Head of the presidential communication service Mr Munyori Buku turned down a request to discuss the matter, especially about the president's name being invoked by senior security officers, as the source of the order to completely withdraw Mr Gachagua's security.
According to long-time provincial administrator Joseph Kaguthi, the woes bedevilling the former DP are alarmingly unique.
"Here we have a new problem where we have never before handled an impeached DP...we have no standard measure of how to treat him," he said.
However, Mr Kaguthi said a person who has served as DP and sat in sensitive national security committees, is in possession of classified secrets about sensitive dockets.
"What if some criminal grouping abducted Mr Gachagua and forcibly extracted that information from him? It is standard practice to provide security for life for such government officials," he said.
Mr Kaguthi said "protecting Mr Gachagua is also protecting the secrets he is carrying around...a man who was subjected to an official secrets oath needs to be guarded like a critical installation unless reckless politics wish to expose the country to a major security scare".
Police Spokesperson Resila Onyango neither answered our calls nor responded to our messages regarding security concerns by the former DP. Neither did government spokesman Isaac Mwaura respond to calls and messages.
Murang'a Senator Joe Nyutu told Nation that Mr Gachagua is nowadays relying on hired bouncers for his security.
Anonymous calls
"It has been the work of his allies to arrange security for him. We have also been warned that we will have our security withdrawn if we continue to host Mr Gachagua in the grassroots," he said.
He said he has personally received anonymous calls from those introducing themselves as state agents, accusing some elected leaders of using their security to protect Mr Gachagua while in his grassroots visits.
Kigumo MP Mr Joseph Munyoro said, “we are ashamed that bad politics today has taken centre stage to a point the state in its desperation to make a political statement, is letting someone carrying government secrets walk around unprotected”.
He urged President Ruto to accept that politics are there to be played, competition is a must and come 2027, a winner will be found and life move on.
Kirinyaga Senator Mr Kamau Murango said he feared a repeat of the 2022 incident that saw Japan's former Prime Minister assassinated.
"We saw bad politics lead to the July 8, 2022 assassination of Shinzo Abe. Where he was shot twice in the chest and neck during a campaign speech near the town of Nara. Mr Gachagua is a movement today owing to the political passions playing around him," he said.
"We should not make it appear as if we are reckless, insensitive and inhumane in the way we zone our interests to a point we can expose a former Deputy President to security risks just to make his competitors feel triumphant," he said.
Nyandarua Senator Mr John Methu said, "excuses that Gachagua is being denied security because of being actively in politics is balderdash...People like Raila Odinga and Kalonzo Musyoka are on a daily basis campaigning and sometimes against the government yet they have tens of armed security officers attached to them".
Mr Methu said, "security officers are owned by the citizens and cannot be politicized to only be protecting those head of state likes and withdrawing them from those he dislikes".
