Gachagua: We’re Documenting Everything, I Am Taking Ruto to ICC Over Abductions and Killings

Former Deputy President escalates political feud with President Ruto, threatens international legal action

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has declared war on President William Ruto’s administration, announcing that the United Opposition is systematically documenting evidence of state-sponsored violence to present before the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Speaking to Kenyans in Seattle on Friday, July 11, 2025, Gachagua revealed that his coalition is building a comprehensive case against Ruto’s government, focusing on what he terms “state-backed violence” including abductions and killings of protesters.

“We are collecting evidence to be able to take these people to the International Criminal Court. We are documenting everything and will present it to the ICC,” Gachagua stated during the diaspora engagement session.

The former deputy president’s threat comes in direct response to President Ruto’s directive for him to report perpetrators of violence to Kenyan police—a suggestion Gachagua dismissed as absurd.

“I heard the president asking me to report those responsible, but how do I report him to the same police when he is the one, and using them to defend those destroying property? That’s why I told him we will report him to the ICC, and that is going on,” Gachagua explained.

The ICC threat represents a dramatic escalation in the bitter fallout between the two leaders since Gachagua’s impeachment in October 2024.

What began as political differences has now transformed into potential international legal action.

Gachagua has been particularly critical of Ruto’s controversial “shoot-to-kill” orders to police during recent protests, describing the president as someone who “lacks feelings and humanity.”

He specifically condemned Ruto’s directive to security forces to “shoot innocent Kenyans on the legs.”

“You could not even send condolences to the dead. You lack feelings and humanity. We shall report you NOT to the Kenyan police but the International Criminal Court—an address you are familiar with,” Gachagua stated in an earlier statement on July 9, 2025.

A Marriage Doomed from the Start

During the Seattle engagement, Gachagua offered unprecedented insights into his deteriorating relationship with Ruto, describing their political alliance as fundamentally flawed from inception.

“I knew my marriage with Ruto would not last long, past one year, because we are different. The guy is a pathological liar, and I am a truthful man. The two of us are like oil and water,” Gachagua revealed.

He accused Ruto of seeking a “submissive deputy” rather than a principled partner, claiming the president wanted “a Mr. Yes Sir, a guy who will say yes sir to everything.”

According to Gachagua, while Ruto was happy to use his influence in Mt. Kenya to rally votes during the 2022 elections, their irreconcilable differences quickly surfaced once in office.

“This is a guy who will look at you straight and lie without even blinking. I couldn’t take it because I was not brought up that way,” he added.

Since his ouster as Kenya’s second Deputy President, Gachagua has been orchestrating a systematic campaign to ensure Ruto’s defeat in the 2027 elections.

The ICC threat appears to be part of this broader strategy to delegitimize the current administration.

The former deputy president has also been rallying diaspora support, appealing to Kenyans abroad to contribute to bail funds for arrested Gen Z protesters and positioning himself as a defender of democratic rights.

Gachagua’s ICC threat represents a high-stakes political gamble that could reshape Kenya’s political landscape.

While the International Criminal Court previously pursued cases against Kenyan leaders following the 2007-2008 post-election violence, those cases were ultimately dropped.

The success of Gachagua’s current strategy will depend on the opposition’s ability to compile credible evidence of state-sponsored violence and convince international prosecutors to take action.

As Kenya grapples with ongoing political tensions and security concerns, the former deputy president’s ICC threat adds a new dimension to the country’s political crisis, potentially internationalizing what has been a domestic dispute.

The coming months will reveal whether Gachagua’s documentation efforts translate into concrete legal action or remain part of political theater in Kenya’s increasingly polarized political environment.