Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has accused the Inspector General of Police of surrendering control of the National Police Service to political and business interests, following what he termed a deliberate attempt to block his public meeting in Nakuru County.
In a statement on Tuesday, Gachagua said he was disappointed that commitments made by the Inspector General during a meeting with national leaders on January 30, 2026, had been violated. He said the police chief had assured them that the service was apolitical, would respect the Constitution, and would not disrupt public meetings or restrict freedom of movement and assembly.
“You gave a categorical undertaking that under your command, the police will never disrupt public meetings or stop leaders from engaging members of the public,” Gachagua said, adding that he and other leaders had nonetheless doubted the assurances.
Gachagua claimed that police authority in Nakuru County had been handed over to political actors linked to President William Ruto. He alleged that the county police command was under the influence of individuals close to the governor and a business associate of the President, whom he accused of importing duty-free sugar and rice at the expense of Kenyan farmers.
The former deputy president said that on Monday, a roadblock was mounted at Karati River to prevent his entourage from entering Nakuru County from Nyandarua County, where he was headed to address residents at Kinamba Trading Centre in Naivasha.
“Four police Land Cruisers were deployed, with officers masking their faces and harassing members of the public for over one hour,” Gachagua said. He claimed the officers withdrew only after hundreds of residents gathered at the scene and demanded the removal of the roadblock.
He further accused the Naivasha police command of routinely disrupting his meetings, citing incidents on March 29, 2025, in Mai Mahiu and Naivasha town, where police allegedly used force against his supporters.
The claims come against a backdrop of repeated accusations that the police have been used by those in power to suppress dissent. Over the past few years, security agencies have been blamed for violently dispersing opposition rallies, breaking up protests against the high cost of living, and clamping down on demonstrations by civil society and young people, including the nationwide protests that erupted in 2023 and 2024. Human rights groups have documented cases of excessive force, arbitrary arrests, and harassment of civilians, raising concerns about political interference in policing.
Gachagua said junior officers were increasingly frustrated, accusing their commanders of misusing them for political purposes while crime continued to rise in Naivasha Sub-county.
“Mr Inspector General, you need to inform the public why you have surrendered the command of the National Police Service to a business associate of William Ruto,” he said.
The National Police Service had not responded to the allegations by the time of publication.
