NAIROBI, Kenya –Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has broken his silence on the controversial death of blogger and teacher Albert Ojwang’—and he’s not mincing words.
Speaking at a rally in Kirinyaga on Sunday, Gachagua demanded the immediate arrest and prosecution of Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat, who had previously filed the defamation complaint that led to Ojwang’s detention.
The former DP accused Lagat of having a direct hand in what he described as a state-sanctioned killing, calling for a full criminal investigation into the police boss’s role in the tragedy.
“This is no longer a random incident,” Gachagua said. “Young men are being eliminated in cold blood, and the government must be held accountable for these extrajudicial killings.”
Ojwang’s case has gripped the nation, with Kenyans from all walks of life demanding justice after the blogger died under suspicious circumstances in police custody at Nairobi’s Central Police Station.
His death has sparked a national outcry, especially after claims surfaced that the police deleted CCTV evidence and use fellow detainees as pawns in his assault.
Gachagua didn’t stop at Lagat. He alleged the existence of a “highly trained squad” operating with the backing of the National Intelligence Service (NIS), led by Noordin Haji, that has been systematically eliminating perceived enemies of the state.
He linked this shadowy unit directly to Ojwang’s death and claimed that numerous other mysterious deaths across the country share the same dark fingerprints.
“These murders are being expertly covered up. But Kenyans are awake now. We are not afraid to say what needs to be said,” he declared, drawing loud cheers from the crowd.
On politics, Gachagua doubled down on opposition unity ahead of the 2027 general election.
He promised that the opposition would front a single presidential candidate to challenge President William Ruto, emphasizing that internal rivalries would not derail their common goal.
“Opposition is firm and it is not divided,” he said. “We are coming for that seat, and we’re doing it together.”
He was joined by former Justice Minister Martha Karua, who echoed his sentiments and urged Kenyans to rally behind the opposition to “liberate the country from poor governance.”
“This is not just about politics—it’s about saving Kenya from collapse,” Karua said. “We must restore dignity, democracy, and justice. And it starts now.”
The event wasn’t just about security and succession politics. Local economic grievances also took center stage. Kirinyaga Senator Kamau Murango and Woman Representative Njeri Maina called out the government’s plan to remove duty on imported rice, saying it would devastate local farmers.
“The government is trying to flood the market with cheap, foreign rice while our own farmers suffer. That’s betrayal,” Murango warned.
Maina added, “It’s immoral for a government to plan how to hurt its own people. We won’t stand for it.”
Even Nairobi legislators weighed in. Embakasi Central MP Benjamin Gathiru and Embakasi North MP James Gakuya accused the administration of widespread human rights violations, saying it has lost touch with the real struggles of ordinary Kenyans.
With Ojwang’s death still raw in the public’s memory and outrage mounting over perceived injustices, the message from Kirinyaga was clear: the pressure is building—and this time, the opposition says it won’t back down.
