Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi on July 9,2025, when he left the country for a trip to United States of America.
Security agencies are bracing for the dramatic return of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, whose scheduled arrival in Nairobi today is being framed by allies as a triumphant homecoming and by government officials as a looming security risk.
Inspector-General of Police Douglas Kanja insisted that Mr Gachagua would not receive special treatment.
Inspector-General of Police Douglas Kanja.
“It is just a normal arrival. He will arrive like anyone else. Our role is to provide security and ensure safety for everyone. Those who break rules will be arrested,” Mr Kanja said on Wednesday at the National Police Leadership Academy in Ngong.
The police chief stressed that Mr Gachagua is not “above the law” and could be summoned to record a statement immediately upon landing if circumstances warrant.
“Nobody is above the law. If there is a law he has broken, he must record a statement once he gets into the country,” he added.
He was flanked by Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo and Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) boss Amin Mohammed during the launch of a leadership training programme for top police commanders.
The heightened alert follows Tuesday’s directive from Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, who warned security agencies to prepare for possible unrest.
Mr Murkomen, who spoke in Murang’a, described the former deputy president as a “loose cannon” whose rallies could inflame tensions.
“His return is a security threat, and I urge our security officers to be ready for a chaotic environment,” he said. The CS also warned that demonstrations, which had subsided in Mr Gachagua’s absence, could reignite upon his return.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen during the launch of induction, paralegal and security management training for chiefs and assistant chiefs at National Police College, Embakasi A, in Nairobi on August 15, 2025.
At the same time, Mr Murkomen denied plotting the former deputy’s arrest. But allies of President William Ruto have been piling pressure over the past two weeks for legal action, accusing the impeached former deputy of undermining national security.
While in the United States, Mr Gachagua accused the Kenyan government of having links to terrorist groups and Sudanese rebel fighters—claims he vowed to present to international investigators.
“Kenya’s security organs have not initiated a probe, which is why I am not interested in their calls for my help,” he said. Instead, he pledged to cooperate “fully” with American agencies, which he claimed had opened inquiries into President Ruto’s administration.
Mr Gachagua was impeached in October 2024—the first deputy president in Kenya’s history to be removed from office.
His opponents cast the move as a cleansing of corruption and insubordination at the heart of government. But to his supporters, particularly in his Mt Kenya stronghold, it was political betrayal aimed at dismantling a rival power base.
His return is being cast by allies as a political resurrection. Supporters liken him to past Kenyan leaders who survived exile or disgrace to mount powerful comebacks.
Already, Mount Kenya lawmakers are rallying behind him as the region’s preferred presidential candidate for 2027.
“We in Mt Kenya will be welcoming back our presidential candidate. Even if consensus talks are held, for now Mt Kenya is fronting Mr Gachagua,” Tetu MP Geoffrey Wandeto said.
Mr Wandeto disclosed plans to mobilise more than 20,000 supporters for a mass procession from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to Kamukunji Grounds in Eastlands.
Kipipiri MP Wanjiku Muhia added: “Those who think Gachagua is a pushover should try monkey business with him. He was impeached in the hope that he would be finished and forgotten, but the storm he is creating proves he is cut for greatness.”
National Cohesion and Integration Commission Commissioner Wambui Nyutu has criticised state agencies for threatening Mr Gachagua.
Kigumo MP Joseph Munyoro framed the return in near-revolutionary terms.
Democracy for the Citizens Party deputy leader Cleophas Malala said Mr Gachagua will make stopovers and address his supporters from the airport.
The party also said that it has informed the National Police Service through various OCSs on the matter, and is expecting security from the police.
Mr Malala also alleged that there are fears about the interruption of Mr Gachagua's home welcoming procession.
Additional reporting by Kevin Cheruyoit.
