NAIROBI, Kenya – Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has denied allegations that he funded or coordinated criminal gangs during the June 25 Gen Z-led protests, instead accusing the government of sponsoring the violence witnessed in several parts of the country.
Speaking during an interview with NTV on Friday, Gachagua dismissed claims linking him or any politician to the unrest, asserting that the decentralized, leaderless nature of the Gen Z movement made it impossible for any one person to direct protests across 26 counties.
“It is playing around with Kenyans to imagine Rigathi Gachagua or anybody else can coordinate activities in 26 counties at the same time,” he said.
Gachagua turned his criticism toward the Ministry of Interior and particularly Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, accusing the government of failing in its duty to prevent the infiltration of protests by criminal elements.
“If these activities were planned, we have the National Intelligence Service (NIS) — where were they? If they did not know, then they slept on the job. If they knew and did nothing, then they are guilty of failing to stop anarchy and violence,” he charged.
‘Violence Was State-Sponsored’
The former DP insisted that the core protests were peaceful and that the chaos which unfolded later in the day was the result of deliberate sabotage by the state.
“The real violence started after 6 pm. Police stood by as organised criminals looted businesses in the dark,” Gachagua claimed. “Not a single goon was shot or arrested. Many peaceful protesters were arrested or killed — but not one goon was touched.”
He alleged that the government allowed looters to operate freely in order to discredit the Gen Z movement and justify a broader crackdown on dissent.
“If they had intelligence that the goons had been paid by Rigathi Gachagua or anybody else, why did they not arrest them? If these were my goons today, they would be in custody or shot dead,” he added.
Call for Accountability
Gachagua urged CS Murkomen to stop scapegoating and instead focus on accountability within law enforcement agencies.
“The CS for Interior must respect Kenyans. People are not stupid. The real goons came after dark. Why were they not arrested or shot?” he asked. “Supervising looters while cracking down on peaceful youth is not justice.”
The June 25 demonstrations, driven largely by Gen Z Kenyans protesting against the Finance Bill 2024 and broader governance issues, took place in more than two dozen counties.
While early phases of the protests were largely peaceful, scenes of looting and destruction later emerged in cities like Nairobi and Mombasa — fueling speculation about infiltration and political sabotage.
Human rights groups have backed claims that the protests were largely peaceful and have raised concern over increasing police brutality and attempts to criminalize dissent.
The government, meanwhile, continues to allege that elements within the opposition and political establishment were behind efforts to destabilize the state under the guise of youth-led protests — a claim Gachagua and other leaders have denied.
