Former Deputy President claims investigation is politically motivated as tensions with Kenya Kwanza administration deepen
🗳️ POLITICS | ASAL POST
NAIROBI, Kenya – Former Deputy President and Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua has accused President William Ruto’s administration of using the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) to intimidate political opponents following controversy surrounding remarks attributed to Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale.
In a statement posted on his official Facebook page on Tuesday, Gachagua claimed that public backlash over Duale’s alleged remarks had prompted the government to shift attention by pursuing investigations against opposition figures.
According to Gachagua, the controversy arose after remarks attributed to Duale, which he alleged likened people from the Mt Kenya region to “hyenas,” triggered widespread criticism and led to the Cabinet Secretary being summoned by the NCIC.
The former Deputy President alleged that Duale later called on the commission to investigate him over alleged hate speech and tribal remarks, a move Gachagua described as an attempt to divert public attention from the controversy.
“The remarks made by Mr Aden Duale have caused outrage in the country and have become a political liability. To divert public attention, the NCIC has now been directed to purport to investigate me,” Gachagua said.
Gachagua questioned the independence of the NCIC, alleging that the commission had become an extension of the government instead of operating as an impartial constitutional body.
“It is clear that the NCIC is an appendage of the Government and not the independent commission it ought to be,” he stated.
The DCP leader defended his public statements, saying they were based on facts and made in the public interest. He added that anyone dissatisfied with his remarks should seek legal redress through the courts rather than relying on what he termed politically motivated investigations.
“My remarks to the country, as always, are truthful, factual and authentic. If anyone is aggrieved, they are free to file suit in the courts of law,” he said.
Gachagua vowed to continue criticizing President Ruto and members of his administration despite what he described as attempts to intimidate him through state institutions.
“I shall continue calling out Mr William Ruto and his surrogates. A compromised NCIC will not stop me, not even for a minute,” he said.
The former Deputy President concluded by reaffirming his party’s commitment to challenging the Kenya Kwanza administration ahead of the 2027 General Election, saying the opposition remained focused on its political agenda.
His latest remarks mark another escalation in the ongoing political fallout between Gachagua and President Ruto’s administration, as debate continues over political rhetoric, freedom of expression and the role of independent institutions in promoting national cohesion.
