Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua Sunday alleged a deliberate plan to harm him during a funeral in Limuru, Kiambu County, on Thursday, November 28.
The event, which drew hundreds of mourners, devolved into chaos when a group of armed goons disrupted and attacked attendees.
In an interview with NTV on Sunday, Gachagua described the attack as a “well-planned attempt on my life,” citing the lack of uniformed police officers and the withdrawal of his security detail a week before.
He linked the incident to rising tensions following his attendance at a Murang’a music concert, which turned chaotic after he was denied the opportunity to address the audience.
According to Gachagua, the Kiambu County security team was complicit in the attack, allowing the perpetrators to enter the funeral as early as 8 a.m.
He claimed that senior county security officials met at Tigoni Police Station the day before and decided to provide a “safe corridor” for the attackers.
“The family had requested four uniformed police officers for the event,” Gachagua said. “However, no officers in uniform were present, and those in civilian clothes merely watched as the chaos unfolded.”
He added that the area OCS, initially in uniform, changed into civilian clothes and remained passive during the attack.
Police have denied the claims of their involvement in the incident.
The former DP accused Kiambu MP John Kiragu of suspicious behaviour, pointing out that he sat away from the VIP tent and was on his phone for the majority of the event. Gachagua also claimed that the same attackers were later seen escorting the MP to safety after the violence broke out.
“Videos show the attackers escorting the area MP after the incident. You don’t need rocket science to connect the dots,” he remarked.
Gachagua described how the attack began during speeches, when hooded men charged the VIP tent wielding machetes, axes, and iron bars.
His unarmed private security guards, he recounted, rushed him to his car and shielded him as attackers threw stones and attempted to break into it.
“Two of my men laid on top of me to protect me. One of them was hit on the head with an iron bar and is still recovering in the hospital,” Gachagua shared.
He credited local residents for coming to his rescue amidst the chaos.
The former DP also alleged that police in unmarked Subarus blocked vehicles attempting to leave the funeral. He claimed that former MP Peter Mwathi and Babirioni MCA were abducted, driven to unknown locations, and abandoned, with the MCA later requiring hospitalization.
Gachagua criticized the state’s use of goons to manage politics, warning that it could destabilize the country.
He also dismissed ongoing peace caravans in Mt. Kenya as unnecessary, arguing that they should instead be directed to regions like Baringo that are grappling with banditry.
The former DP revealed the Limuru chaos forced him to cancel planned events in Nakuru and Molo, citing fears of potential clashes.
“As a responsible leader, I had to call off the two events to avoid a clash between my supporters, who are in their thousands, and a few criminal elements,” he said.
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