NAIROBI, Kenya — Trade Cabinet Secretary Lee Kinyanjui has condemned former Deputy President and DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua after the latter called on the United States to investigate alleged links between stolen Minnesota fraud proceeds and Kenya’s leadership.
Kinyanjui described the appeal to a foreign government as dangerous, reckless and damaging to Kenya’s sovereignty.
Gachagua, speaking during a church service on Sunday, January 4, 2026, urged U.S. authorities and President Donald Trump to adopt a “Venezuela‑style” strategy to arrest suspects allegedly connected to the Minnesota fraud and examine whether stolen funds were channelled into Kenya, including potentially financing political activities.
Kinyanjui’s Strong Response
In a statement on Monday, January 5, 2026, CS Kinyanjui dismissed the call for foreign intervention, saying such moves risked harming Kenya’s international standing.
“How can a leader seek to throw his own country into the deep end merely to score personal revenge? This brand of politics is retrogressive and dangerous. It reflects raw greed and naivety in handling matters that could have potentially catastrophic consequences,” Kinyanjui said, urging political debates to remain within domestic institutions.
Kinyanjui also questioned the motive behind Gachagua’s allegations, noting his prior role as Deputy President to President William Ruto, and criticised attempts to conflate political rivalry with issues of international consequence.
The DCP leader has been quoted requesting the intervention of the USA to investigate Kenya’s leadership over allegations of sponsorship through funds linked to the Minnesota fraud case. Never mind it’s on the very party he was the running mate.While the province of
-What the FBI Has Said About the Minnesota Fraud and Kenya-
The highly publicised Minnesota fraud scandal centres on widespread abuse of federal programs, including the Feeding Our Future and Housing Stabilisation Services schemes, that prosecutors say siphoned hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding meant for children and families.
Federal authorities estimate up to $250 million was embezzled in some schemes, and a significant portion was laundered internationally.
According to the FBI and U.S. federal investigators, stolen funds were traced to assets in Kenya, including high‑end real estate in Nairobi’s Eastleigh and South C areas, luxury beach plots in Diani, and even an aircraft purchased in Nairobi, underscoring money laundering that crossed continents.
Court documents also show that individuals implicated in the case used fraud proceeds to acquire and invest in Kenyan real estate companies through sham corporate entities, helping conceal the nature and origin of the funds.
One indictment detailed how suspects sent millions of dollars abroad, with some proceeds used to purchase property and stakes in real estate ventures in Kenya.
FBI officials have publicly stated that they are committed to tracking and recovering fraud proceeds, emphasising the seriousness of international money laundering tied to the scandal.
A senior FBI agent said defendants redirected funds intended for social services into luxury purchases and overseas investments, including in Kenya, noting the bureau would deploy “every resource to stop this shameful theft”.
Political Fallout and Broader Debate
Gachagua’s assertions have drawn a mixed response.
While some political figures call for thorough investigations, whether domestic or international, others, like Kinyanjui, argue that involving foreign authorities in Kenya’s internal disputes could damage diplomatic relations and hamper sovereign investigation processes.
Critics say allegations linking national leaders to Minnesota fraud should be handled through Kenya’s own legal and investigative mechanisms, rather than appeals to foreign governments, to avoid undermining national institutions.
Federal prosecutors have noted that a large share of those charged in the Minnesota fraud investigation are of Somali descent, with more than 85 defendants linked to alleged misuse of federal programmes.
The FBI and U.S. Justice Department have said stolen funds were used to buy assets overseas, including luxury properties in Kenya and Turkey, and transferred via international money‑laundering networks.
Some investigative sources and law‑enforcement commentary suggest that portions of money moved through informal Somali hawala networks have ended up abroad, though direct links to terrorism financing remain controversial and unproven.
