Rigathi Gachagua Reacts to Govt Claims that Gen Z Demos Were Attempted Coup: "Kenyans Are Not Fools"
- Former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua issued a strongly worded statement about the June 25 Gen Z demonstrations
- Gachagua explained in detail why President William Ruto's government is allegedly to blame for the violence witnessed during the protests
- Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen claimed protesters were paid to cause anarchy in the country
Amos Khaemba, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over four years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.
Nairobi – Former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua has broken his silence over the deadly Gen Z demonstrations that left several Kenyans dead and businesspeople counting losses.
Source: Getty Images
Were Gen Z protests funded?
On Thursday, June 26, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen issued a strongly worded statement claiming the protests were another attempt to overthrow President William Ruto's government.
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Murkomen disclosed that the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) is investigating the leaders who allegedly funded the demonstrations.
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However, Gachagua issued a counterstatement rebuking the remarks made by the Interior CS.
Gachagua dismissed claims that youths were paid to demonstrate against Ruto's administration, arguing that the president has failed to implement his promises to Kenyans, including providing jobs for youths.
"You are well aware that the Gen-Zs do not require any financing or being led in their cause unless you would want to believe in your own lies and cheap propaganda. I urge you to listen to the young people of Kenya. They raised their voices a year ago, and you have heard them, but you have still not truly listened. You have not shown an iota of a caring father, a year on," Gachagua said.
In his statement, the former deputy president claimed goons who looted businesses in Nairobi's CBD were state-sponsored.
He argued that genuine Gen Z protesters were blocked from entering the capital to allow hired goons to cause mayhem under the watch of police officers.
Gachagua claimed businesses owned by people from Mt. Kenya were deliberately targeted by goons hired by the government and officials of the Nairobi county government.
"Genuine Gen-Z protestors were blocked in their thousands on Kiambu Road and Thika Road, where no businesses were looted. Your police allowed goons into town at their expense to go and cause mayhem and place the blame on the Gen Zs. We have credible information that in Nairobi, especially the downtown region, businesses belonging to people from a certain region were clearly identified by officials from the County Government of Nairobi and elsewhere; this brutal exercise was led by politicians allied to this rogue regime," he claimed.
Source: Getty Images
He claimed the government deliberately switched off the signals of major national TV stations in an orchestrated scheme to have state-sponsored goons loot and destroy property under police protection.
Why did Gachagua cancel Embu events?
Gachagua slammed Murkomen for visiting the shops that were looted in the capital, arguing it was meant to mislead Kenyans.
"In cohort with the police, these rogue officials and politicians led goons for a targeted looting spree to intimidate and coerce them to support this unpopular regime. We are well aware that most of the businesses were left intact last evening only to be found looted in the morning. We have seen the CS for Interior pretentiously visiting shops that were looted by state- sponsored goons in an attempt to hide his guilt. Murkomen, Kenyans are not fools," the former DP alleged.
Following the chaotic demonstrations, Gachagua has announced the cancellation of his weekend activities in Embu county.
"It is in solidarity with the young people who lost their lives yesterday and the business community who have lost billions of shillings due to the deafness of this rogue regime that I have stood down my today's media briefing with the media houses of Embu region and further cancelled my weekend public engagement with the people of Embu county to a later date," he announced.
Why did CS Murkomen praise police officers?
In other news, CS Murkomen praised the National Police Service (NPS) officers for decisively dealing with Gen Z protesters.
Addressing the press at Harambee House, Murkomen dismissed claims that police used excessive force in handling protesters.
Murkomen praised the cops for a "job well done in foiling an attempted coup” during protests that he said targeted the State House and Parliament.
Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
