Kenya’s former Deputy president Rigathi Gachagua has demanded swift government response following multiple attempted assassinations on his life and the lives of his immediate family members.
In a three-page document sent to President William Ruto dated Tuesday, April 15, 2025 Gachagua detailed a series of harrowing incidents dating back to late 2024, which he alleges were part of a coordinated campaign to eliminate him.
“On 28th November 2025, at a solemn funeral service at Kimuru, Liambu county. I was attacked by organised criminal gangs, my vehicles damaged irreparably, women and children roughed up, property of unknown value destroyed, mourners beaten as police watched; this was an assassination attempt which failed,” Gachagua said.
How it started.
Gachagua’s troubles with the state begun when he went up in arms against his close friend and ally Uhuru Kenyatta during his tenure as president becoming a self-proclaimed critic of his policies
Long before Kenyatta became president in 2013, Gachagua had worked closely with him, including as his personal assistant for five years. But after teaming up with Ruto, Gachagua went from being Kenyatta’s “confidant” to one of his harshest critics.
However, since falling out with his current boss, Gachagua has apologized to Kenyatta, saying it was “foolish” of him to have “fought my own brother”.
Fate smiled at him when in September 2022, he fought his way to the top assuming a state duty as 2nd deputy prime minister of Kenya, a position he held for almost two years cut short by a call for his impeachment in October 2024.
Gachagua found himself accused of acquiring properties through corrupt means, though he argued the assets belonged to his late brother. He was also accused of practicing ethnic politics and acting to undermine the government.
Throughout his life until such a great fall, Gachagua explains that the primary legislators and the police have been fully aware of the deliberate plans to attack his home in Nairobi, Nyeri by well-known individuals to the Inspector General- Douglas Kanja.
In this document, he accuses security for conniving with criminal gangs who they task with the errand of trailing him around with a mischievous agenda.
“On 19th December, 2024, a NIS officer with a fake car number KCR 919U for over 150km in Makueni for reasons best known to themselves,” Gachagua said.
“ These NIS operatives trail and stalk me and my immediate family members in unmarked cars or and clandestine number plates. This is affront to right of privacy,” he added.
The troubled statesman highly condemned such acts demanding the immediate arrest and prosecution of the criminals behind those acts and restoration of his security detail and protection during public gathering.
His demands have since been met with a lot of public criticism questioning his actions during his shortlived term in office.
Frank Mtetezi, a political analyst questioned the validity of Gachagua’s accusations, reminding him of his role in government under Ruto’s administration.
“Do you remember waking up at 5 AM as a DO and giving orders to deal with Azimio supporters, only to later shift your stance because you saw an opportunity to seize power from Ruto?” Mtetezi said.
The Inspector General of Police, Douglas Kanja, has yet to comment publicly on the matter.
