NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 11 — Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has sharply escalated his war of words with President William Ruto and Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung’wah, branding them “the greatest political cowards in the country” following chaotic scenes in Kikuyu Town.
In a statement issued after his controversial entry into Kikuyu Town on Saturday despite heavy police deployment, Gachagua accused the government of using force to suppress dissent and block his political activities.
“Mr. William Ruto and Kimani Ichung’wah are the greatest political cowards in the country,” he said.
“The use of police, live ammunition and teargas cannot stop an idea whose time has come.”
Gachagua praised residents who turned out to receive him, describing them as having demonstrated “bravery, courage and resilience” in the face of what he termed intimidation.
“You have proven you cannot be intimidated… and you made hard decisions about 2027,” he said, adding that “Ruto is one-term and Ichung’wah must follow him to Sugoi.”
The remarks came amid heightened tensions after running battles between police and groups of youths in Kikuyu Town, where officers fired teargas to disperse crowds as Gachagua pressed ahead with his planned engagement.
Earlier, Ichung’wah called for immediate investigations into the violence, directly linking Gachagua to chaos along Nairobi’s Southern Bypass and unrest in Kikuyu.
He described the incidents as “organized and deliberate,” alleging they mirrored past politically instigated unrest.
“It is not random chaos; it bears the hallmarks of coordinated political attacks,” he said.
Mobilised goons
Ichung’wah accused Gachagua of mobilizing groups, including alleged criminals, to disrupt order and intimidate residents.
“As the duly elected Member of Parliament for Kikuyu Constituency, I demand that the government takes action against Gachagua and his gangs of criminals,” he said.
He further questioned why “outsiders” had allegedly been brought into the constituency, linking them to earlier attacks on motorists along the Southern Bypass.
The MP urged the Inspector General of Police to launch immediate investigations, saying his office would submit video evidence to support the claims.
The standoff follows early morning unrest along the Southern Bypass, where suspected gangs barricaded sections near Thogoto and Gitaru using bonfires and debris.
Motorists were attacked and traffic severely disrupted before police intervened to restore order.
The incident appeared to set the stage for the later confrontation in Kikuyu Town, where tensions escalated as Gachagua’s convoy moved through the area.
Gachagua, however, accused the government of sponsoring the violence to stop his engagement with residents — claims he did not substantiate.
“They have sent goons and security to stop us from meeting our people, but we will not be intimidated,” he said.
By midday, anti-riot police had sealed off parts of Kikuyu Town, mounting roadblocks and dispersing gathering crowds as tensions remained high.
