President William Ruto’s administration has threatened to arrest former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua for allegedly fanning incitement to violence, in an escalation of a feud between the former allies-turned-arch rivals.
Over the weekend, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki and Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen repeatedly warned Mr Gachagua, accusing him of whipping ethnic emotions for his selfish political interests ahead of the 2027 presidential elections.
The two insisted that Mr Gachagua, who was impeached by Parliament last October and subsequently removed from office as Deputy President after two years, is neither untouchable nor above the law.
But Mr Gachagua has fired back, telling off Prof Kindiki and Mr Murkomen over threats to have him arrested. Instead, Mr Gachagua told the two to address issues of ‘abductors and murderers’ in the wave of extrajudicial killings.
Gachagua faces arrest over 'inciteful comments'
"I did not order anyone to arms. I abhor violence and instability. I am only warning IEBC that our politics are fluid. It is my civic duty to caution. The situation we are in now won't stomach electoral monkey business in 2027," said Mr Gachagua on Sunday.
But the government functionaries maintained that they would not hesitate to arrest Mr Gachagua should he continue being a threat to national security. The leaders said Mr Gachagua has resorted to turning his personal challenges into a national crisis by trying to drag the country through premature campaigns laced with threats to violence.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki during an interdenominational Sunday service at Amagoro Primary School Grounds, Teso North, Busia County, on May 18, 2025.
Photo credit: DPPS
The reaction by Dr Ruto’s administration comes after Mr Gachagua warned that the country could plunge into election violence worse than what was witnessed in 2007 disputed elections, should the yet-to-be established Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) bungle the polls in 2027.
The 2007/08 post-election violence played out largely on ethnic lines, leaving more than 1000 people dead and thousands displaced from their homes.
Hundreds of others were also left with permanent injuries in a crisis that saw Dr Ruto, former President Uhuru Kenyatta and four others charged with crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court (ICC). The cases later collapsed.
"Let that man continue making noise and inciting Kenyans. We will arrest him. The other day, he told us that if he is impeached, there will be chaos in Kenya; was there chaos?
"No. When he saw that there was no chaos, he went home to pretend to be the one who had calmed people. We will arrest him," Mr Murkomen said in the Kalenjin dialect at a function in Iten on Saturday, before repeating the same message in English.
He repeated similar warnings on Sunday in Trans Nzoia County. Noting that Mr Gachagua was not untouchable, CS Murkomen said that the government is alert to a scheme by politicians out to make Kenyans feel insecure and paint the government as being unstable.
“Let them know that they are not untouchable. We are committed to ensuring a peaceful and secure nation for all and will not be threatened by anyone thinking we will spare them because of their position,” said Mr Murkomen.
At a burial in Matisi in Kitale on Saturday, the CS had warned Mr Gachagua that he would be held accountable for his utterances and the possibility of chaos during the 2027 General Election.
"Those trying to spread fear among Kenyans will be held accountable because no one is above the law. No one will be allowed to say what level they want and threaten the peace of this country,” the CS stated.
Separately, speaking at Amogoro in Teso North during an interdenominational Sunday service, Prof Kindiki likened any leader fanning violent utterances to Al-Shabaab and the banditry in the Rift Valley, who are causing injuries and deaths to innocent Kenyans.
"Our country is not at risk of experiencing pre- or post-election violence similar to that witnessed in 2007/08. Those prophesying such occurrences are the real enemies of Kenyans and should be rejected at all costs," said Prof Kindiki.
The DP noted that Kenyans learned a painful lesson in the 2007/2008 post-election, and they cannot allow a repeat of similar events in future. He assured Kenyans that the 2027 elections will be free, fair and peaceful.
“Their prophecy of doom is informed by unpatriotic and political inexperience,” said Prof Kindiki.
He added, “Any leader, their political or religious affiliation notwithstanding, inciting or fanning ethnic animosity is unpatriotic and retrogressive. Politicians whipping emotions ahead of the 2027 General Election at the expense of development programmes and projects tailored to transform the lives of citizens from the grassroots are insensitive and anti-people.”
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen during a church service at Africa Inland Church Nuru in Kitale, Trans Nzoia County on May 18, 2025.
Photo credit: Jared Nyataya | Nation Media Group
He said he expects the IEBC to know the 2027 elections will not be about the government alone and its wholesome behaviour will determine where the country heads to, especially if its commissioners and staff abdicate the irreducible minimums of fair, just, democratic, transparent and honest superintendence of the big vote.
"We are not forgetful. Innocent children and the elderly were burnt alive inside Kiambaa church in Rift Valley," he said.
Mr Gachagua said the President William Ruto government stands guilty of perpetrating violence and should not pretend to occupy the moral ground of branding others as agents of instability.
"This government has been on a spree of unleashing goons in burials, weddings, worship centres...The government is promoting Mungiki, and its adherents are the ones who have been raiding my meetings, now 7 times," he said.
Mr Gachagua challenged Prof Kindiki to, instead of engaging in threats to first come clear on his role in the wave of abductions and extrajudicial killings of Gen Z protestors.
"The truth is that you cannot escape the blot of the Gen Z massacre. It happened under your watch as Interior CS. You cannot condemn violence when your hands are dripping with the blood of Gen Z. You cannot be speaking from both ends of your mouth," Mr Gachagua said.
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua makes his address during the unveiling ceremony of Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) in Lavington, Nairobi on May 15, 2025.
Photo credit: Francis Nderitu | Nation Media Group
Mr Gachagua said: "I am a peaceful man. I have been restraining my followers from hitting the road to protest against grave injustices against us. You cannot take from me my right of forecasting political weather and also enjoying my civil right of free expression".
Further, CS Murkomen urged Trans Nzoia County Governor George Natembeya to retract his style of politics of demeaning the government and disrespecting the presidency.
“Senator Chesang, when you meet with the governor, tell him to behave like a person who has served our government in high office. He should not be reckless in his utterances," he said.
The CS said that despite being a cosmopolitan county, Trans Nzoia County is still faced with tribal politics and the use of gangs and goons to do politics of discrimination and division.
He tasked the county security team to profile and crack the whip to dismantle all gangs being used by politicians.
"I have noted that some leaders here behave so badly that they carry along thugs when they go to burials and other community events. This is wrong and we must stop it because we want politics of decency," he said at Nuru AIC in Kitale. The CS asked elected leaders to work for Kenyans and stop being tribal kingpins and regional bosses who use their communities as a shield to attack and disrespect the government.
In Busia, Prof Kindiki said under the leadership of Dr Ruto, the price of essential commodities, including sugar, flour, and petrol, dropped, easing the burden of the high cost of goods on Kenyans.
"When Ruto took over the leadership of this country, petrol was retailing at Sh217, but today, it is Sh174. Maize flour was selling at Sh250, today, it is going for Sh160. And we are set to stabilise the country's microeconomic indicators," he said.
According to Kindiki, Kenya's shilling has gained more value and is now standing at Sh127 per US dollar, down from Sh167 in 2022.
"Kenya's economy has also improved, and we are rated the 6th best in Africa. We have overtaken Angola and South Africa, and going forward, we shall be in the best three categories in the continent," he added.
Prof Kindiki said construction works of all industrial parks and special economic zones launched by the Kenya Kwanza government will be completed and operational before the 2027 elections.
Reports by Mwangi Muiruri, Shaban Makokha, Evans Jaola and Titus Ominde
