NAIROBI, Kenya — Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has launched a fiery rebuke against President William Ruto, accusing him of sanctioning violence against civilians and vowing to report him to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
In a blistering post shared Wednesday night on X (formerly Twitter), Gachagua slammed Ruto’s recent directive authorizing police to shoot vandals in the legs during ongoing nationwide protests.
The directive, issued earlier in the week, was part of the president’s stern warning to those involved in looting, burning property, and targeting police stations.
But Gachagua wasn’t buying the law-and-order narrative. In his words, the president’s instruction “lacks feelings and humanity,” especially after multiple protest-related deaths went unacknowledged by the Head of State.
“You could not even send condolences to the dead,” Gachagua wrote. “You lack feelings and humanity. We shall report you not to the Kenyan police but to the International Criminal Court—an address you are familiar with.”
The DCP party leader went further, accusing Ruto of orchestrating state-sponsored militia operations disguised as law enforcement.
“How do we report state-sponsored militia to the same police who supervised them as they burned and looted property?” Gachagua asked. “I named you as the person responsible for unleashing violence against the very community that made you President.”
The former deputy president’s statement comes just days after violent demonstrations swept parts of the country during the July 7 Saba Saba protests, with protesters accusing the government of corruption, high cost of living, and police brutality.
Multiple fatalities were reported, though no official tally has been released.
President Ruto, addressing the public during an inspection of the Police Housing Project in Kilimani, defended his controversial order, clarifying that it targets only those engaged in criminal activity—not peaceful protesters.
“A person who is going to burn another person’s business and property—such a person should be shot in the legs, taken to the hospital, and then to court,” Ruto said. “They should not be killed, but they must be stopped. We want peace in Kenya.”
He also warned leaders allegedly sponsoring the protests that consequences were coming. “We are coming after you,” the president said. “You cannot sponsor violence in the Republic of Kenya and expect to go scot-free.”
Ruto further condemned the attacks on police and public institutions, calling them acts of terrorism and a “direct declaration of war.”
But to Gachagua, these warnings ring hollow. He claims the president is using the threat of chaos to justify repression—and shield a government unwilling to take responsibility for bloodshed.
The former DP made the remarks just before departing for a tour of the United States, suggesting his campaign to hold Ruto accountable could be going global.
As political temperatures continue to rise and calls for justice echo louder across the country, one thing is certain: the fight between former allies Ruto and Gachagua has officially gone from cold war to open confrontation—and the world is watching.
