Gachagua Condemns Police Brutality and State-Sponsored Violence Against Gen-Z Protesters

 Former Deputy President and DCP Party leader Rigathi Gachagua has issued a strong condemnation of the Kenyan government’s handling of recent Gen-Z protests, decrying the use of excessive force, live ammunition, and state-sponsored violence against peaceful young demonstrators.

In a powerful statement released on Thursday, Gachagua accused President William Ruto’s administration of orchestrating intimidation tactics against protesters who were commemorating their slain colleagues. He described the police actions as “excessive” and condemned the involvement of “rogue” government elements in unleashing goons to attack peaceful protestors, loot businesses, and foment chaos across Nairobi and other parts of the country.

“The cause of the Gen-Z protests is well-known by the government and every Kenyan; Mr. Ruto, you promised jobs and economic liberation to our young people — you know what you have delivered,” Gachagua stated.

The former Deputy President highlighted that during last week’s demonstrations over the murder of Mr. Albert Ojwang, government-aligned goons violently disrupted the protests in Nairobi. He claimed that the government then shifted tactics by deploying these groups to loot and destroy property, falsely blaming Gen-Z protesters for the chaos.

Gachagua also accused officials from the Nairobi County Government and allied politicians of leading targeted looting sprees aimed at intimidating business owners from particular communities to coerce political support for the regime. He said businesses were deliberately left intact overnight only to be found looted the following morning.

Further, Gachagua alleged that the government deliberately cut off signals of major national TV stations to cover up the state-sponsored destruction and shield perpetrators under police protection. He criticized Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen for making inflammatory statements profiling the protests as a “Kikuyu uprising,” dismissing the core issues of corruption, extrajudicial killings, and political repression raised by protesters.

“You have waged a campaign of terror against them — abducting, torturing, and shedding their blood. Still, they have refused to be silenced,” Gachagua said, urging President Ruto to listen to the youth’s demands and recognize their crucial role in Kenya’s future.

In a show of solidarity, Gachagua announced he had postponed a media briefing and canceled his weekend public engagements in Embu County in respect to the lives lost and the business community affected by the unrest.

He concluded his statement with a call for resilience and patriotism, reminding Kenyans of their history of overcoming oppression and injustice.