NAIROBI, Kenya – Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has outlined an eight-point proposal he says could ease growing political tensions and economic frustrations in Kenya, calling on President William Ruto to stop reacting with anger and instead address citizens’ demands with decisive reforms.
Speaking at a press briefing on Wednesday, Gachagua said the nationwide protests were not tribal or politically manufactured but a genuine response to the government’s failure to meet its promises.
“Mr. Ruto, I want, with a lot of humility, to advise you to stop being angry. That will not help you. You need to know what you must do. The people of Kenya are more angry than you are,” he said.
The former DP’s remarks came just hours after President Ruto, while launching a housing project in Kilimani, appeared visibly frustrated by mounting public hostility and accused some leaders of plotting unconstitutional power grabs.
Gachagua’s 8 Proposals for Stability
Gachagua urged the President to adopt the following measures immediately:
- Abolish the Housing Levy and “restore dignity” to workers’ payslips.
- End extrajudicial killings, illegal detentions, and police brutality.
- Stop abductions and profiling of young people.
- Abolish the so-called ‘101 killer squad’, an alleged rogue police unit linked to enforced disappearances.
- Create jobs for the youth, as promised in the 2022 campaign.
- Strengthen the middle class, which he said is crucial to employment creation.
- End tribal profiling, especially against the Kikuyu community.
- Uphold constitutional governance and stop weaponizing state institutions.
“These are the solutions to your problems. Give hustlers the jobs you promised them. You cannot say that previous presidents also failed. You made the promises. Do not cry now that you have no solution,” Gachagua said.
Accuses Govt of Using Rogue Police Unit
In a striking revelation, Gachagua claimed that a 101-member police unit—allegedly formed during his tenure—was being used to suppress protests through abductions and extrajudicial killings.
“This squad was recruited from the Administration Police and trained by the NIS. They use unmarked Subaru vehicles to look like DCI officers. But this is not DCI—it’s a rogue unit run from the shadows,” he alleged.
He was responding to widely circulated footage of masked gunmen in unmarked cars firing live rounds at protesters, which triggered widespread outrage.
Dismisses Coup Claims, Says “See You at the Ballot”
Gachagua distanced himself from any attempts to remove President Ruto through unconstitutional means, saying the opposition will beat him fairly at the ballot in 2027.
“There is no leader here planning a coup. Relax and prepare to be a one-term president. We’ll meet you at the ballot,” he said.
He also challenged the President’s claim that only Kikuyus were fuelling the protests.
“If you believe it’s the Kikuyus who want you out, then all Kenyans are Kikuyus—because people across the country are suffering.”
Human Rights Crisis Mounts
According to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), at least 31 people have been killed, 107 injured, and 532 arrested during the ongoing protests. The watchdog has also documented two cases of enforced disappearance.
Amid the unrest, human rights groups have accused police of excessive force, while President Ruto has insisted that violence against police and state institutions will be treated as terrorism.
