Volunteers take over security at former Kenyan DP Gachagua’s homes after government withdrawal

Former Kenyan Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua says his homes in Nairobi and Mathira in Nyeri are now being guarded by an army of volunteers after President William Ruto’s government withdrew his security detail.

The volunteers, Mr Gachagua said, are composed of men and women who formerly served in the Kenya Defence Forces, the National Police Service, Kenya Wildlife Service and Kenya Forestry Service.

"When President Ruto ordered that my security be withdrawn after he got heckled in Embu County while I was ululated for, many people from my community got concerned," he said during an interview with Inooro TV on Sunday evening, 15 December 2024.

He added that "many people were concerned of my safety when I was later attacked in Limuru and where the intention was to murder me".

Mr Gachagua revealed that he got offers "from people of goodwill who once served in the military, the Police Service, Kenya Wildlife Service, the Kenya Forest Services...volunteers patriotic enough from my community".

“Currently my homes and myself are under protection from those volunteers...about 300...I am now okay, very comfortable and not in need of government security".

Mr Gachagua’s security detail was completely withdrawn in late November after he was accused of sponsoring dissent against Dr Ruto’s government.

This came as confidential sources in the Interior Ministry told the 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".

"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 withdrawal came despite a court order directing the government not to interfere with the former DP’s security arrangement until his case— in which his impeachment by both Houses of Parliament and the subsequent swearing-in of Prof Kithure Kindiki as his replacement— is heard and determined.

The former Mathira MP blamed President Ruto and Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja for the November 28, 2024 attack in Limuru.

The former DP was attending the burial of Erastus Nduati in Bibirioni village when a group of youths attacked him, forcing his security detail to rescue him.

His personal vehicle was extensively damaged, and one of his aides was seriously injured and has been hospitalised to date.

Mr Gachagua on Sunday claimed that the attack was planned by the government, saying it is the reason why more than two weeks later, no suspect has been arrested.

He said that "the president set the ball rolling by first ordering that my security be withdrawn".

The attackers, he added, were speaking in the Gikuyu language "and were loudly proclaiming that they had been assured that I had no armed security to protect me".

"Those who attacked me are well known. Their faces are all over social media after their mayhem was recorded in videos. They are people with criminal records and are well known. Yet, they continue to be free because the state-sponsored them to attack me," he said.

Mr Kanja, he said, is a thankless man who had chosen not to pick up his phone calls to discuss the Limuru attack.

"I helped you get that job. You are presiding over a police service that cannot protect a former deputy president. You cannot even arrest State goons who were hired to murder me in Limuru. Yet, you are my immediate neighbour in the village. What will you tell our neighbours if I get murdered as you watch, doing nothing?" he said.

"I was arguing that I needed state security on grounds that I had served a sensitive docket that makes me privy to several state secrets...But in retrospect, I don't need government protection. If it can send goons to attack me, what will stop it from sending police security to murder me?" he posed.

Should he get murdered, Mr Gachagua reiterated, "President Ruto should be the one to be held directly responsible".

The Head of State, he said, is "behaving like former president Daniel arap Moi (under whom they both served) who used to unleash State security organs on dissenters".

"When not insulting those who declare divergent views, you are ordering the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to summon and record statements...These are desperate measures Mr President".

He said the DCI had since summoned Kajiado North MP Mr Onesmus Ngogoyo to record a statement after he accompanied him to Mukurwe-ini Constituency on Sunday.

Two Nyandarua members of the county assembly, he said, have also been summoned by the DCI after they were accused of inciting residents to walk out on President Ruto's speech during Jamhuri celebrations.

Mr Ngogoyo, according to the DCI, should appear before detectives on December 16, 2024, at 8am to help the police attached to the serious crime unit investigate allegations against him touching on offence of cyber harassment.

According to the summons by Commissioner of police Michael Sang, the police believe Mr Ngogoyo has some information that could assist in the investigations.