Ruto, Raila troops accuse Gachagua of plotting regime change through Gen Z uprising

Allies of President William Ruto and ODM leader Raila Odinga have accused former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua of exploiting the Gen Z-led protests to orchestrate a regime change.

National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah, Minority Leader Junet Mohamed and nine MPs faulted Gachagua for the chaos that ensued during protests yesterday.

“What happened in our country yesterday was not a normal demonstration. It was not a Gen Z demonstration,” Junet, a close ally of Raila, said in Parliament.

"It was a political event meant to overthrow the constitution and the existing governance of this country."

At least 15 people were killed and more than 500 injured in the protests, which were held to commemorate the more than 60 Kenyans who died during demonstrations against the Finance Bill, 2024, in June last year.

Property of unknown value was destroyed, shops looted and dozens of protesters arrested.

Elsewhere, Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen also claimed that the organisers of Wednesday’s nationwide protests were attempting to orchestrate a coup.

Speaking during a press briefing after touring parts of Nairobi to assess the aftermath of the protests, Murkomen alleged that the demonstrations were a calculated and coordinated attempt to overthrow the government.

“The plan was to take symbols of authority and democracy, which are Parliament and State House, to show that they had achieved some sort of regime change,” he said.

In Parliament, Junet accused Gachagua of ethnically mobilizing demonstrators and transporting them to Nairobi to topple the government.

Junet sponsored a motion calling on the Police IG to investigate the perpetrators of the demonstrations.

“When you’re holding a national demonstration, people protest in their respective counties and subcounties. You don’t transport people from one region to Nairobi to demonstrate,” he said.

“That kind of ethnic mobilisation was not a normal demonstration. Why bring people from Kiambu, Thika Road, Thika, Murang’a, Juja to Nairobi? What we saw yesterday was ethnic mobilisation intended to fight and overthrow the Constitution of Kenya.”

Junet further claimed Gachagua was setting a dangerous precedent by suggesting that aspiring presidential candidates must first “cause anarchy and lead demonstrations”.

However, allies of Gachagua and other opposition leaders pushed back, arguing that the protests were nationwide and not linked to any one politician.

“Was Rigathi in Homa Bay? Mombasa? Kakamega? Everywhere?” asked Kipipiri MP Wanjiku Muhia.

Deputy Minority Leader Robert Mbui said the attacks on Gachagua and other opposition leaders were unwarranted.

“I see there is an attempt to try and malign certain individuals out of yesterday’s activities. This (demos) was spontaneous and was done across the country,” he said.

Junet countered that the violence and destruction of property occurred primarily in regions associated with Gachagua.

“If you want to remove a government, you won’t do it through protests. You won’t achieve it by burning and destroying property. You have to wait for the elections,” he said.

Ichung’wah said most of the destruction occurred in Mt Kenya and targeted properties owned by people from the region.

“We want the Inspector General to investigate current and former politicians involved in planning, funding and mobilising these criminal acts,” he said.

Ichung’wah went further, accusing Gachagua of orchestrating a personal attack.

“Yesterday, there was an attempt to kill my 105-year-old father and 85-year-old mother. All in the name of myself being the leader of the majority in this house, and having done my work to the best of my ability as God may help me,” he said.

“This is a dark man with a very dark heart,” he said, referring to Gachagua.

Earlier, nine MPs allied to Ruto and Raila accused Gachagua of being at the center of the protests with the intention of toppling the government.

“Those weren’t protests. It was a coup attempt. The person behind it intended to overthrow President William Ruto’s government,” said Migori Woman Representative Fatuma Mohammed (ODM), speaking at a press conference at Parliament Buildings yesterday.

“He has come out praising Gen Z, calling them his children. But how come all the Gen Z protesters came from Central?” 

Other MPs who levelled accusations against Gachagua included Didmus Barasa (Kimilili, UDA), Doris Donya (Kisii, Wiper), Mark Nyamita (Uriri, ODM) and Ali Wario (Garsen, ODM).

Also in the camp were Lilian Siyoi (Trans Nzoia, UDA), Johana Ng’eno (Emurua Dikirr, UDA), Japheth Nyakundi (Kitutu Chache North, UDA) and Irene Mayaka (nominated, ODM).

Barasa called for Gachagua’s immediate arrest, accusing him of funding criminal gangs to infiltrate the protests and cause chaos.

“We are calling for the arrest of our former Deputy President for financing groups that infiltrated the Gen Z protests to loot, injure and terrorise Kenyans,” he said.

Garsen MP Ali Wario criticised the National Cohesion and Integration Commission for failing to summon Gachagua despite his provocative public remarks.

“Some people want to destroy our country. We are calling on NCIC to take firm action against Rigathi Gachagua. He’s acting with impunity,” Wario said.

“He is inciting Kenyans against their leaders. Democracy allows citizens to elect their leaders. In 2027, Kenyans will choose who they want. But for now, elections are over. The leaders in office were duly elected.”

INSTANT ANALYSIS

Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen detailed extensive damage to government infrastructure and property, noting that key installations were deliberately targeted. He said at least nine police stations were attacked, five of which were torched, including Dagoretti, Molo and Ol Kalau. Eighty-eight police vehicles were destroyed. A total of 27 national and county government vehicles were damaged, while 65 civilian vehicles, including a school bus, were burnt at various police stations.