Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has come out guns blazing, condemning what he termed as “cowardly and shameful” attacks on leaders attending a church function in Lari, Kiambu County.
This follows an incident where a group of rowdy youths were seen pelting stones at leaders driving into the AIPCA Gatumbi for a Sunday service.
In a fiery address, Gachagua pointed fingers at a section of Mount Kenya MPs, accusing them of being used by President William Ruto’s allies to disrupt his public events.
“One of the most foolish leaders in this country are from Mount Kenya. How can you allow yourselves to be used to hire youths to stone leaders?” Gachagua posed.
He claimed that while other communities are lobbying for their youth to secure job opportunities abroad and key positions in government agencies, leaders from Mount Kenya are being reduced to political hitmen.
Gachagua also paraded a young man identified as Billy Mwangi, one of the youth allegedly abducted over social media posts, to highlight what he termed as the result of state intimidation.
He dismissed President Ruto’s recent apology to the youth as insincere and cosmetic.
“That apology means nothing if people like Billy are still living in fear,” he said.
The Kiambu chaos is the latest in a series of disruptions targeting Gachagua’s church meetings, incidents his allies insist are being orchestrated by state-sponsored goons.
While Gachagua was in Kiambu, his successor Prof. Kithure Kindiki was by Ruto’s side in Homa Bay for the Madaraka Day celebrations. Kindiki called on youths to respect all generations; and that as Kenyans all must stick together to grow.
