Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has denied claims that he orchestrated the violence that marred the June 25th Gen Z-led protests across the country, instead shifting blame to the Ministry of Interior and the National Intelligence Service (NIS).
Speaking during an interview on NTV, Gachagua dismissed the notion that he or any political figure could have coordinated disruptions across 26 counties, emphasizing the decentralized and spontaneous nature of the Gen Z movement.
“It is playing around with Kenyans to imagine Rigathi Gachagua or anybody else can coordinate activities in 26 counties at the same time,” he said, reiterating that the protests were driven by a leaderless and tribeless generation.
Gachagua took a direct swipe at Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, accusing him of failing in his duty to protect citizens. He questioned why law enforcement stood by as looters ran rampant after 6 p.m., suggesting that the violence was a state-sponsored effort to delegitimize peaceful protests.
“If these activities were planned, we have the National Intelligence Service (NIS), where were they? If they did not know, they failed. If they knew and didn’t act, they are complicit,” he charged.
He pointed out that while several peaceful protesters were arrested or harmed during the demonstrations, no action was taken against the so-called “goons” who looted businesses after dark.
“Not a single goon was shot or arrested. This happened on Wednesday; today is Friday. None have been apprehended,” Gachagua noted, questioning the motives behind the security response.
The former deputy president insisted that the Gen Z protests were peaceful until infiltrated by individuals he claims were mobilized by the state to sow chaos and justify a crackdown.
He concluded by urging CS Murkomen to stop insulting Kenyans’ intelligence and to take responsibility for the lapses in security. “The CS Interior must respect Kenyans. People are not stupid. The real goons came after 6 p.m. Why were they not arrested or shot?” Gachagua asked.
His comments come amid growing public concern over the handling of the protests and alleged state interference.
