NAIROBI, Kenya- Democracy for the Citizens Party Leader Rigathi Gachagua has promised to shut down 53 companies he accuses of manufacturing harmful alcoholic drinks if the opposition wins the 2027 General Election.
Speaking at a Kenyan diaspora caucus in Dallas, Texas, Gachagua said the manufacturers would be closed within the first month of a new opposition government.
“There were 53 companies that were manufacturing killer brews, and I shut down 51 of them,” Gachagua said.
The former deputy president said the crackdown he spearheaded while in office helped restore families affected by alcohol abuse.
“Within one and a half years, families were back. The boys were back home from the trenches. Young women were getting pregnant and giving birth, and families were restored,” he said.
Gachagua accused President William Ruto, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki and Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo of allowing the manufacturers to resume operations after his removal from office.
He further alleged that the companies pay Sh2 million each every Friday to senior government figures, putting the total at about Sh106 million.
Gachagua presented no evidence to support the payment claim.
He alleged that part of the money was being used to influence voters ahead of the 2027 election.
“This is the money they are using to bribe people to vote for William Ruto,” Gachagua said.
President Ruto, Kindiki and Omollo had not publicly responded to the latest accusations by the time of publication.
Omollo has previously rejected similar claims from Gachagua that the government deliberately allowed illicit alcohol to return to the market.
In December 2024, the principal secretary described the accusations as reckless and politically motivated and challenged Gachagua to submit any evidence in his possession to investigative agencies.
Omollo said 29 active manufacturers and distillers of second-generation alcohol were vetted under a multi-agency process. Two were initially found fully compliant before 13 others were licensed after a second review.
The government launched a 25-point programme against illicit alcohol and drugs in March 2024.
The measures included suspending alcohol-manufacturing licences and conducting fresh compliance checks.
Police records show that 691,586 litres of illicit alcohol were seized in 2024. Authorities also arrested 28,862 people, including manufacturers, distributors, retailers and consumers.
Gachagua also used the Dallas address to attack Kindiki over the deaths recorded during the 2024 youth-led protests.
He accused Kindiki, who was serving as Interior Cabinet Secretary at the time, of bearing responsibility for the police response.
“Much as we blame William Ruto for the killing of the Gen Zs, it is him who was the Minister for Interior,” Gachagua said.
He did not provide evidence that Kindiki personally ordered or supervised the shootings.
At least 50 people were killed during the 2024 protests, according to figures released by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights.
President Ruto promised investigations while defending the police against claims that the entire service was responsible for the violence.
