EMBU, Kenya – Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua claims he skipped the late Raila Odinga’s State funeral and burial due to alleged security threats, including what he described as past assassination attempts orchestrated by senior government officials.
Speaking during an interview with Inooro TV on Sunday, Gachagua said he had already paid his respects to the former Prime Minister, calling him “a very important state leader” whose political resilience he admired.
He praised Raila’s two-decade stewardship of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), saying he hoped to build his Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) into an equally formidable political organisation.
“For 20 years ODM has been a great party, and I would like to make DCP stronger than ODM,” Gachagua said, adding that he admired how Raila “chose political leaders with high experience to stand for his party.”
Claims of Assassination Plots
Gachagua alleged that he received credible warnings that his presence at the funeral service at Nyayo National Stadium could expose him to harm.
He claimed unnamed individuals within government had previously planned to assassinate him—accusations he has made before but that have never been substantiated publicly.
“The government had sent some hitmen to Limuru to kill me, and until today they have not been arrested,” he alleged. “Ruto himself had sent some hitmen to kill me in PCA Mwiki in April. Also, on my arrival from the USA, I was beaten by hired men and police officers in civilian clothing.”
He said some police officers privately advised him to stay away from the funeral, claiming he could be attacked by assailants disguised as civilians so that the blame would fall on people from the Nyanza region—an incident he said could inflame tensions between the Gikuyu and Luo communities.
“Some police told me not to go because the government had planned to use some officers in civilian clothing to attack me so that it may be said that people from Nyanza attacked me,” he said.
Alleged Plot in Bondo
Gachagua also claimed he aborted a planned visit to Bondo, the Odinga family home, saying senior officials had allegedly arranged a similar plot to attack him there.
“I know President Ruto’s administration very well, and I could not have allowed myself to fall into his trap,” he said.
‘Lies’ at the Funeral
The former DP added that beyond the alleged threats, he was disillusioned by what he described as insincere tributes by government officials during the State funeral.
He accused President William Ruto of “pretending” to praise Raila despite years of political rivalry.
“Ruto was there pretending how Raila was good and crying, yet he used to tell us Raila was a witch and the nation’s problem,” Gachagua said. “The only truthful person who spoke at the burial was Kalonzo Musyoka.”
The government has not responded to Gachagua’s latest claims.
