You Know Where to Find Me, Gachagua Dares Govt To Arrest Him

NAIROBI — Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua has openly challenged the government to arrest him if they believe he has committed any crime, condemning what he described as intimidation tactics following reports that security officers surrounded his homes on Sunday.

“The drama of waylaying us on roads must stop. If the government knows that I have committed a crime under the laws of Kenya, and it is identified in the penal code, they know all my homes. They don’t need to waylay me on the road,” Gachagua declared during a press conference in Nairobi on Monday.

The former Deputy President, who was impeached in October 2024, claimed that officers who surrounded his Wamunyoro and Karen residences on Sunday had planned to plant weapons on his convoy.

His lawyer, Ndegwa Njiru, was the first to reveal the presence of security personnel around Gachagua’s properties.

“It was my responsibility to put up a team of civilian firearm holders to escort me, and it is not illegal or wrong,” Gachagua stated, defending his decision to maintain private security following the withdrawal of his official protection detail after his impeachment last year.

Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka has expressed solidarity with Gachagua, condemning the government’s actions.

“This intimidation of the Opposition must stop. Mr. Ruto, if you want to arrest Deputy President @rigathi, do it the right way; follow the law,” Musyoka said on Sunday.

The tension follows the recent launch of Gachagua’s new DCP party in Lavington, which descended into chaos after alleged goons disrupted the event.

Several attendees, including journalists, were reportedly injured in the melee.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has stated that investigations are underway to identify plain-clothes firearm holders seen firing shots during the incident.

Gachagua’s outspoken criticism of the Kenya-Kwanza administration has put him at odds with pro-government politicians, with some openly calling for his arrest.

Belgut MP Nelson Koech, who chairs the National Assembly committee on defense, intelligence, and foreign relations, suggested that Gachagua’s arrest is inevitable.

“The statements that he continues to issue are extremely dangerous to this country. It is not a matter of if, it is a matter of when he will be arrested,” Koech said during a television interview on Monday.