Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has sensationally claimed that President William Ruto wants him eliminated, alleging a Sunday police raid at his homes was part of a wider plot to harm him.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, May 19, 2025, Gachagua said he had not received any official summons from police and questioned the motives behind the operation.
He accused the officers involved of being part of a so-called “killer squad” with no intention of arresting him.
“On Sunday, May 18, 2025, I received intelligence reports that President William Ruto had ordered that I be dealt with once and for all. After state-sponsored goons failed on several occasions, police and other state agencies were brought in,” Gachagua told reporters at his residence.
He claimed that Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen relayed the alleged order to senior security officials, including the Inspector General of Police, Director General of Intelligence, and the Director of Criminal Investigations.
He alleged that a heavily armed team of over 100 elite officers drawn from the Administration Police, National Intelligence Service, Directorate of Criminal Investigations, Anti-Terrorism Police Unit, General Service Unit, and the regular police was dispatched.
Gachagua further alleged that the squad, masked and fully armed, sealed off all exit routes in Gatanga Constituency, where one of his homes is located. He said the officers had plans to plant illegal weapons in his convoy and poison him, prompting him to use an alternative route to avoid capture.
“I want to tell President Ruto and his people: if you want to arrest me, come to my home,” Gachagua said defiantly, adding that he believes there is an attempt to disarm his official security detail.
Gachagua went into hiding on Sunday evening after learning he was a wanted man.
He evaded a police dragnet in Muranga and drove to his Wamunyoro home in Nyeri as police pursued him.
Police said they wanted to arrest him for questioning. The drama ran into the night on May 18 amid reports more officers had been mobilized to look for him.
Police had laid an ambush on major roads in Muranga as Gachagua and his team snaked from a public event in the area. On learning of the plans to arrest them, some of the leaders escaped using bodabodas that carried avocados in the area.
Under cover police later laid a siege on his Nyeri and Nairobi homes saying they were looking for him.
He is under probe for claims of incitement.
One of his lawyers Ndegwa Njiru said police had laid a siege on the homes.
“To all media houses kindly be informed that the DCI has taken hostage of all HE Rigathi Gachagua’s both at Karen and at Wamunyoro. They are currently man hunting him. We are yet to be informed of the reasons,” he said.
Heavily armed and masked police officers had earlier taken position at Jogoo Kimakia near Blue Post, Thika, reportedly aiming to arrest former Gachagua. But he evaded the arrest amid claims he had taken refuge in a bush in his home.
Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka condemned the developments terming them intimidation.
“This intimidation of the Opposition must stop. Mr Ruto, if you want to arrest Deputy President @rigathi, do it the right way; follow the law. We are prepared to produce DP Gachagua before the @DCI_Kenya. Please stop abducting Kenyans and their leaders. Abductions are primitive and cowardly.”
Gachagua has been hard hitting with his statements directed at the government.
Sources said there are plans to arrest and question Gachagua and his security guards over recent fracas that happened when he was launching his political party DCP.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen had earlier on warned they will take action on political leaders seen to be inciting Kenyans.
“We will put you in jail, and there’s nothing you’ll do about it,” he said.
Speaking in Nandi County during the thanksgiving ceremony for retired AIC Bishop Patrice Chumba, Murkomen condemned what he termed as a reckless, tribal-driven political agenda threatening national unity.
“You better choose peace, because this country must have peace. We won’t allow anyone to burn it down,” he warned.
His remarks come days after former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua in a media interview claimed that the country will be rocked by violence should the 2027 election results fail to reflect his will.
“If the IEBC tries to mess with the 2027 election there will be no country here, 2007 will look like a Christmas Party,” declared Gachagua.
The former DP’s statement has drawn widespread condemnation from leaders across the political divide, who have decried his remarks as reckless, inflammatory, and a dangerous throwback to Kenya’s darkest political moments.
Murkomen reminded Kenyans of Gachagua’s past transgressions.
“He was not punished for invading Uhuru’s farm and stealing livestock. He was not punished for invading and burning Parliament. Now he wants to burn the whole country. We will deal with him decisively,” said the CS.
“Recently elected leaders following merchants of violence and chaos, you better run away. When we come for them, we will also come for you for supporting violence.”
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