Former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua has accused the Kenya Kwanza administration of failing to honour its pledge to end political goonism, after an alleged attack on his convoy in Nakuru.
Gachagua claimed his convoy was attacked at Kaptembwa in Nakuru Town West Constituency by individuals he alleged were organised and paid by Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika and area MP Samuel Arama.
According to Gachagua, the attackers used axes, stones and other crude weapons during the incident, while police officers watched.
“When Mr William Ruto and Mr Kipchumba Murkomen said goons would not be allowed anywhere in the country, it was just another lie, the usual lip service and political posturing,” Gachagua said in a statement.
He accused the administration of relying on political violence to deal with opponents, arguing that the alleged attack was evidence that government assurances on political goons could not be trusted.
“They cannot do without goons,” he said.
Gachagua claimed that the attackers targeted not only his supporters but also members of the media accompanying his team.
“Goons organized and paid by Susan Kihika and Samuel Arama attacked our convoy at Kaptembwa, in Nakuru Town West Constituency, with axes, rocks and other crude weapons as police watched,” he said.
He said the situation could have escalated but for residents who intervened.
“Luckily, wananchi repulsed these thugs and ensured our safety and that of the members of the 4th Estate who were also targeted,” he said.
The allegations come as Gachagua intensifies his political activities in Nakuru, a key battleground ahead of the 2027 General Election.
He is expected to hold public engagements in Njoro, Molo and Rongai over the weekend, with the former deputy president saying his supporters in the three areas had promised to provide security.
“Ahead of our public engagements in Nakuru this weekend, our supporters in Njoro, Molo and Rongai have assured us of adequate protection by wananchi,” he said.
Gachagua's remarks add a new dimension to the increasingly combative political contest ahead of the 2027 elections, with rival camps stepping up efforts to consolidate support in the Rift Valley.
The former deputy president has increasingly framed his political opposition to President Ruto around allegations of intimidation, state overreach and the use of violence against political opponents.
In his latest statement, he argued that the alleged Nakuru incident demonstrated a disconnect between government pronouncements and events on the ground.
“Now that it is clear Mr William Ruto and Mr Murkomen did not mean what they were saying about goonism,” Gachagua said, referring to the assurances that political violence would not be tolerated.
He went further to warn that the alleged rise in political violence could affect the country's image among investors, tourists and international visitors.
“Kenyans, tourists, all foreigners and international dignitaries in Kenya and investors have to accept that goonism is now a way of life and live with it until the next General Election,” he said.
Gachagua then turned his attention to the 2027 presidential contest, declaring that he expected voters to remove President Ruto from office through the ballot.
“We get rid of Mr William Ruto and his mafia on 10th August 2027 at the ballot,” he said.
The allegations, if independently established, would raise questions about the conduct of political actors and the preparedness of security agencies to prevent violence as parties and political formations begin laying the groundwork for the 2027 contest.
They also place Nakuru at the centre of the emerging political struggle, with Gachagua seeking to expand his influence in a region that has historically played a decisive role in presidential elections.
The claims against Governor Kihika, Mr Arama and the police had not been independently established in Gachagua's statement, and the allegations should therefore be treated as claims by the former deputy president.
