Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has launched a blistering attack on former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, accusing him of using divisive rhetoric, ethnic mobilisation and inflammatory language that could threaten national unity and public security.

In a strongly worded statement, Murkomen alleged that Gachagua’s political messaging has increasingly focused on branding leaders from the Mt Kenya region who do not support his political agenda as traitors.

The Interior CS said the use of the term “wasaliti” against political opponents was dangerous, arguing that such language could expose individuals to hostility, profiling and possible attacks from supporters who may interpret the remarks as a call to isolate or punish perceived enemies.

“Every time Rigathi Gachagua opens his mouth to speak, he affirms to all and sundry that he is the Lord of Violence and Master of Ethnic Bigotry,” Murkomen said.

Murkomen accused the former Deputy President of pursuing what he described as a divisive political project rooted in tribal identity, instead of focusing on national unity, development and peaceful political competition.

According to the CS, leaders should be allowed to make independent political choices without being branded enemies of their communities simply because they hold different views.

“Today was no different. He continued with his crusade to label leaders from his backyard who do not subscribe to his politics of tribalism as ‘wasaliti’,” Murkomen said.

The remarks come amid growing political rivalry within the Kenya Kwanza coalition and the wider Mt Kenya political landscape, where several leaders have openly differed over the region’s future political direction ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Gachagua has recently intensified his political engagements across the country, rallying supporters around what he has described as the need to protect the interests of the Mt Kenya region. However, his critics have accused him of promoting ethnic-based politics and attempting to dictate the political choices of leaders and voters from the region.

Murkomen said political differences should never be turned into ethnic hostility, warning that the language used by leaders can have serious consequences when it is interpreted as a signal to target others.

“Terming others as traitors of the community is a dog whistle that has historically been used to profile, ostracize and direct attacks against a section of society or individuals,” he said.

The CS pointed to past international conflicts, including the Rwandan genocide and war crimes in Kosovo, as examples of how hate speech, ethnic profiling and political propaganda can contribute to violence when left unchecked.

He warned that Kenya must learn from history and ensure that political leaders do not use public platforms to spread messages that could divide communities or endanger citizens.

Murkomen also referenced the death of Rachel Wandeto, saying the incident should remain a reminder of the consequences of inflammatory political rhetoric.

“The attack on Rachel Wandeto is still fresh in our minds. Her painful and unfortunate death was a direct consequence of Gachagua’s incitement against pro-government people from the region,” Murkomen alleged.

The Interior CS said the government would not allow any political leader, regardless of their status or influence, to use public rallies, media interviews or social platforms to incite Kenyans against one another.

He said security agencies had been directed to closely monitor statements that may threaten peace, public order and national security, adding that legal action would be taken where evidence of incitement is established.

“Like I said recently, our security agencies are under instruction to monitor his inflammatory utterances and take the necessary legal action before he endangers more lives and the security of the country,” Murkomen said.

Murkomen maintained that Kenya’s political future must be built on issue-based leadership, respect for democratic freedoms and peaceful coexistence among all communities.

He said leaders should compete on policies, development records and ideas, rather than attempting to create political divisions based on ethnicity or regional identity.

The CS further accused Gachagua of imagining himself as the leader of an ethnic political empire, saying such ambitions were outdated and had no place in a modern Kenya.

“Gachagua remains a hopeless tribalist with delusions of being at the helm of an empire that only exists in the firmament of his twisted imagination,” Murkomen stated.

Murkomen insisted that Kenya remains bigger than any individual leader or political faction and urged citizens to reject attempts to divide the country along ethnic lines.

“Kenya remains a united, progressive and indivisible nation,” he said.