Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has decried the presence of Jubaland forces allegedly operating freely in Mandera County as the national government maintains studious silence over the matter.

Gachagua yesterday warned that the presence of foreign militia is a threat to Kenya’s territorial sovereignty and integrity, even as he urged President William Ruto to deploy Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) to Mandera to expel the forces.

“We have seen our country attacked by troops from foreign countries. Jubaland forces have entered Mandera, they have occupied more than half the town, killed five people, injured seven others, and displaced many people including schools,” Gachagua said.

He added: “It cannot be that foreign forces are in our land and the government is quiet and the Commander-in-Chief is quiet. We are asking the Commander-in-Chief of the KDF to immediately order an operation to flush foreign troops out of our land.”

He said he has taken responsibility to fight for the people of Mandera and North Eastern, insisting that it is unacceptable that foreign forces can invade Kenya yet the mandate of the KDF is to protect the country’s territorial integrity.

According to Gachagua, it cannot be that forces from Somalia and other countries come to Kenya, occupy land and terrorise the people, yet the government and the leaders of Mandera are quiet.

“We want to tell the people of Mandera that even if your leaders remain silent, we will speak for you. We will not agree that you are destabilised by militias from neighbouring countries,” said Gachagua.

He was speaking at PCEA, Ongata Rongai during the Sunday service and later addressed a public rally where he revisited the matter, accusing the leadership of Mandera of continually castigating him instead of condemning the invasion of Kenya by foreign forces.

“The other day I called a TV station and said the forces are in Mandera. That is when I’m now seeing the Governor (Mohamed Khalif) seek assistance, yet last weekend when they were there, he was not speaking, the Senator and MPs were not speaking,” Gachagua reiterated.

At the same time, Gachagua condemned what he described as the high level of corruption ailing the country, maintaining that State House stands accused and that it is the “centre of corruption”.

He accused Dr Ruto of being behind corruption in Parliament.

“We have a big problem in our country on corruption, nothing is going on in the country but theft. When I was in the US, I saw the President speak strongly on corruption and bribery, he said all the MPs do is take bribes and that he will not accept it any longer. I was very happy if that is what he has decided because he personally bribes the MPs,” Gachagua said.

According to the former DP, bribery has not come to an end but has now increased, especially at State House where money is dished out.

“Some 5,000 people from Kiambu went there and everyone was bribed with Sh10,000 so that they could separate Kiambu from Mt Kenya. They took money, went home and are now singing one-term. Then Meru came and received Sh10,000. State House has become the centre of corruption in broad daylight and it is very embarrassing,” he said.

Gachagua at the same time called out corruption in the health insurance scheme, saying money meant for the Social Health Authority (SHA) is being sent to non-existent hospitals, yet mission hospitals are not receiving anything.

He expressed concern over attempts to grab 152 acres of land belonging to PCEA Kajiado, which he said the church holds the title to and is keeping in trust for the public.

“It cannot be that the same government that was supported by the church can come and unilaterally grab land belonging to the PCEA, it is unacceptable. I would urge the government to listen to the people in this region. Here, there are enough houses. The challenge of this area is not houses, it is water and sewage,” said Gachagua.

Further, Gachagua claimed that the houses being built in Kajiado do not qualify as affordable but are for commercial purposes.

“We want to be fair and kind to unsuspecting investors who have been told to buy 2,000 houses in advance because we are going to elections and there will be a new government. When we get to power, we will return them to the church and you will lose your houses. The PCEA church has the title. If the government comes to build the houses by force, the new government will return them and you will collect rent,” he added.