Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has accused President William Ruto of sponsoring violence against young people who are defending political leaders, escalating an already tense political standoff marked by disruptions of meetings and confrontations at public gatherings.
In a sharply worded statement, Mr Gachagua challenged President Ruto to stop what he described as the deployment of hired groups to intimidate youths and disrupt their assemblies, including gatherings held in places of worship. He said the violence was unnecessary and avoidable if the government chose dialogue and economic empowerment over intimidation.
“Mr William Ruto, if you have a problem with and you feel so pained by the young people defending their leaders, stop sending your goons to attack them, their meetings and invading places of worship,” Mr Gachagua said. “Empower those goons to engage in meaningful and legal economic activities instead of sending them to harm innocent Kenyans, especially women and children.”
The former deputy president argued that the repeated clashes point to a growing intolerance of dissent within the government, warning that the use of violence against politically active youth risked deepening divisions and eroding public trust in state institutions. He said young people had a constitutional right to organise, speak out and associate freely without fear of attack.
Mr Gachagua’s remarks come against the backdrop of rising political temperatures as leaders position themselves ahead of the 2027 General Election. In recent months, several political meetings across the country have been disrupted by groups of youths, with organisers accusing their rivals of sponsoring chaos to silence opponents. Churches and community halls have increasingly become arenas for political messaging, further complicating the situation.
Allies of the former deputy president say the confrontations reflect frustration among young people facing unemployment and a high cost of living, conditions they argue have been worsened by government policies. Mr Gachagua said it was hypocritical for the state to criminalise desperate youths while failing to provide jobs and opportunities.
“That way, there will be no need for any protection,” he said, insisting that peace would prevail if young people were given livelihoods rather than being turned into instruments of violence.
Government officials have previously denied sponsoring violence, saying security agencies are responding to breaches of the peace. However, critics argue that arrests are selective and that perpetrators linked to those in power are rarely held accountable.
Mr Gachagua warned that continued intimidation of political opponents and their supporters could have long-term consequences for national cohesion. He urged the President to choose dialogue and economic inclusion, saying Kenya’s stability depended on respecting democratic space rather than shrinking it through fear and force.
