NAIROBI, Kenya – Two close allies of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua have been charged with terrorism following a violent arson attack in Kikuyu town that destroyed key government offices, including the Law Courts, the Chief’s Office, and the Registrar of Lands.
Peter Kinyanjui Wanjiru, also known as Kawanjiru, and Serah Wanjiku Thiga appeared before the Kahawa Law Courts on Monday, accused of committing a terrorist act under Section 4(1) of the Prevention of Terrorism Act No. 30 of 2012.
According to a charge sheet filed by the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit (ATPU), the two are alleged to have coordinated a group that, on June 25, 2025, between 12:00 pm and 11:00 pm, carried out the attacks that resulted in the destruction of several public offices within Kikuyu area in Kiambu County.
Among the facilities torched during the unrest were the Kikuyu Law Courts, Probation Office, Chief’s Office, Sub-County Registrar’s Office, and the Deputy County Commissioner’s compound.
Also affected were the Sub-County Accountant’s Office, Registrar of Lands Office, and various police installations.
Prosecutors told the court the attack was not spontaneous but a calculated move aimed at crippling vital state operations and spreading fear among public servants.
They labelled the incident part of a broader campaign to incite civil unrest amid growing anti-government protests across the country.
Both suspects were apprehended on July 4 without a warrant and have remained in custody pending further investigations. They were officially presented in court on July 7.
The matter is being prosecuted by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), with testimony expected from multiple witnesses, including a key complainant named as M. Benard. The case is being handled by the DCI’s ATPU Nairobi Detachment.
The charges have reignited political tensions, with opposition leaders and civil society groups expressing concerns over what they describe as a widening crackdown on dissent by the Ruto administration.
Thiga, the National Youth Leader of the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP), was re-arrested last week just minutes after being released on bail in a separate case linked to the June 25 Gen Z-led nationwide protests.
Wanjiru and Thiga now face a possible life sentence if found guilty under Kenya’s tough anti-terror laws.
The case will resume at the Kahawa Law Courts, which handles terrorism-related offenses.
