NAIROBI, Kenya, May 19— Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has claimed a state-sponsored plot to assassinate him, linking President William Ruto and top security agencies to what he describes as a coordinated and escalating campaign to silence him.
In a statement issued on Monday, Gachagua claimed he received intelligence reports while attending a church service in Gatanga Constituency on Sunday suggesting that President Ruto had allegedly ordered security agencies to “deal with him once and for all.”
He alleged that since previous attempts by “state-sponsored goons” had failed, the mission had now been escalated to involve official security agencies.
“At about 11.00am, on Sunday, 18th May, 2025, this information was communicated to the Inspector General of Police, DG NIS, and Director of Criminal Investigations by the CS for Interior and Coordination of National Government,” Gachagua stated.
He claimed that a “killer squad” composed of a covert unit of 101 officers drawn from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit (ATPU), the General Service Unit (GSU), and other security outfits had been deployed with the intent to eliminate him.
The group, he claimed, was under the command of the National Intelligence Service (NIS).
According to the former second-in-command, the squad—which he claimed was masked and hooded—was deployed to Gatanga to block all exit routes in a bid to trap him and his entourage.
He said intelligence officers sympathetic to his cause warned him of a plot to plant weapons in his convoy and later arrest him on trumped-up charges.
Gachagua further alleged that at around 2:30 p.m., his team received additional intelligence suggesting that the squad planned to plant weapons in his convoy and later arrest him on trumped-up charges.
Biological weapons
He also claimed the operation included a team trained in the use of biological weapons, who were instructed to poison him using inhaled chemicals that would gradually paralyze his brain over three months.
Gachagua stated that his team managed to evade the alleged ambush with the help of sympathetic officers within the security apparatus.
The former DP further claimed President Ruto had also directed that his private security personnel be disarmed, exposing him to potential attacks by what he termed “state-sponsored goons.”
Gachagua linked the alleged hostility from the President to past grievances, including public reminders of the 2007/08 Kiambaa church massacre, which he claims still haunts the head of state, as well as his accusations regarding the illegal acquisition of public land in Ngong Forest for a private hotel project.
Defending remarks, he previously made regarding political violence and historical electoral injustices, Gachagua said his statements were based on past experience and were not incitement.
He cited the controversial elections of 1992, 1997, and 2007 as historical contexts requiring vigilance ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“It is my civic duty as a leader to remind the IEBC and all agencies charged with election management that they must deliver a free, fair, verifiable, and credible election,” he said.
State-backed anarchy
Gachagua catalogued a string of alleged attacks targeting him since November 2024, including violent disruptions during funerals and church services in Kiambu, Nyandarua, Nyeri, Naivasha, and Nairobi counties.
He accused the Ministry of Interior of failing to investigate or prosecute any of the perpetrators.
He dismissed Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen’s claims that clashes during DCP party functions were caused by internal disputes over handouts, saying the chaos was instigated by hired goons.
“We do not pay our supporters to attend our meetings. Unlike the government, our party enjoys organic support,” Gachagua declared.
The DCP leader issued a warning that efforts to intimidate or neutralize him would not deter the political movement he leads.
He emphasized that the push for change is bigger than any individual and is rooted in public demand for better governance, improved infrastructure, and an end to corruption and extrajudicial killings.
“The cause to liberate Kenya is not about Rigathi Gachagua. Wasting time and resources to stop me is a zero-sum game,” he said.
Gachagua urged his supporters to remain alert and stand firm in the face of what he described as political persecution.
