Impeached Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua addressing journalists outside Karen Hospital, Nairobi, on October 20, 2024.
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua now says the state is menacingly trailing him all over social spaces for unknown reasons even as a security source explained the surveillance is standard practice for high-profile targets.
In a near midnight post on his social media platforms on Wednesday, November 20, Mr Gachagua said "security agents in unmarked cars have been following me wherever I go".
He added: "They are parking at the entrance of my Nairobi residence, taking note of all my visitors, and they trail me whenever I leave the house, even all the way to my rural home in Nyeri County".
National Police Service Commission spokesperson Dr Resila Onyango did not respond to our queries seeking comment on the matter.
Government spokesman Mr Isaac Mwaura was also unreachable on the phone and text messages sent on his phone seeking comment on the safety of Mr Gachagua were yet to be responded to.
However, a source at the police headquarters in Nairobi told Nation.Africa that security is provided in many ways.
"It should not get lost to you that Mr Gachagua remains a very big component of national stability...He is a character of immense concern to us especially given the political emotions he has managed to build to his advantage," he said.
The source added: "Mr Gachagua is among our protection targets lest some evil schemer gets creative about his safety with an intention of setting the country on fire.”
"Mr Gachagua being a political actor so far profiled to be involved in activities aimed at seizing state power remains a security concern to himself, his contacts and the country hence the need to monitor him," the security source added.
The source concluded: "If I were him, I would stop being unnecessarily paranoid, pretend not to notice anything and continue with his plans because after all, he is a free man and as security agencies, we owe him security among other lives and properties."
A month after his impeachment and three weeks after President William Ruto replaced him with Prof Kithure Kindiki, it is not the first time the former deputy has made the alarming claims.
His allies, especially in the Mt Kenya and Nairobi grassroots have been reporting incidents of suspected police traillings, abductions, persecutions and sometimes, physical assault.
Embakasi Central MP Benjamin Gathiru says many of those supporting Gachagua are being followed by police officers in unmarked Subaru cars.
"They are everywhere in our lives. We cannot even communicate in peace. The officers have taken it upon themselves to follow us...you wonder how lazy some government officials can get," he said.
Mr Gathiru said, "These officers are selling the fear of death...and I want to tell them that killing someone is not important...you will also die one day...stop this nonsense".
On October 22, 2024, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) summoned the former DP to its headquarters in Kiambu County to shed more light on his allegations that the state was out to kill him.
After he checked out of Karen Hospital on October 20, 2024, where he had suddenly been admitted three days earlier, Mr Gachagua claimed the state had attempted to murder him on several occasions, including while he was in hospital.
Mr Gachagua recounted alleged attempts by state security agents to assassinate him on two occasions before he was removed from office.
“I want to tell the people of Kenya that I do not feel safe and I also want them to know that should anything happen to me, the person who should be tasked should be President Ruto,” Gachagua stated.
He had alleged that there was a plot to assassinate him on August 30, 2024, when he accompanied the president on a tour of Luo Nyanza where he was given a thunderous reception by the crowds, much to the chagrin of political pundits.
“They bugged my room, and one of them tried to poison my food, but we detected it and escaped the scheme...I was supposed to be killed through poisoning," Gachagua claimed.
A month later while in Nyeri County, Mr Gachagua alleged that state undercover agents attempted to poison the food he was to take together with a delegation of the Kikuyu Council of Elders.
He insisted that he reported the two incidents to the National Intelligence Service (NIS) though all complaints of criminal nature are supposed to be reported to the National Police Service and proof of report is issuance of an Occurrence Book number (OB).
When the DCI attempted to get an official complaint from him on October 22, he declined the invitation and never reported to the public the reason why he took that decision.
“These are serious allegations emanating from a person of your stature and cannot be taken lightly...In light of the seriousness of this matter, we kindly request your presence on October 22 at the DCI Headquarters to formally record your statement to enable prompt and thorough investigations into the matter,” the DCI through Mr Gitonga Marete wrote to Mr Gachagua.
While in the Karen hospital, Mr Gachagua alleged that state officials were all over the facility.
In Murang'a County cases of political hostilities against area pro-Gachagua politicians have escalated.
Mr Wamuga Mwangi who has been involved in mobilising the grassroots to lobby for the establishment of Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) so that it can verify and approve signatures to recall anti-Gachagua MPs has since reported to police about a November 8, 2024 raid in his home by armed men.
In an official report filed at Kiria-ini police station, Mr Wamuga says the attackers arrived in unmarked cars and made off with his phone, computer and files.
"The attackers said they wanted the items to on behalf of the government go and get evidence of espionage against President Ruto and our MP. They warned me against supporting activities against the head of state and his allies, an accusation that I strongly deny," Mr Wamuga said.
In another recent incident, 23-year-old Eutychus Ngechu was arrested by a dozen heavily armed officers from his home in Kigumo constituency last Friday night, November 15.
Mr Ngechu was driven to the office of the Murang'a County Police Commander, who ordered that he be detained for more than 48 hours.
In their brief to the Murang'a County Security Committee, the police commissioner, Benjamin Kimwele, and the head of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Obed Isanda, said that Mr Ngechu had been accused by a local politician of engaging in risky politics.
"I was told that fighting the government and its pillars is a dangerous thing. They told me that government knows how to fight its opposition," Ngechu said.
He added: "In short, the message they were giving me was that in the eyes of government and its friends, I have to agree to be gagged, lose my free mind that helps me enjoy freedom of speech and right to belong to Gachagua wing," Ngechu said on Sunday when he was released on a cash bail of Sh20,000.
