The political feud between former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and his former boss, President William Ruto, has taken a fresh twist after Gachagua called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to launch investigation into the alleged resurgence of a criminal gang he claims is being sponsored by the government.
Speaking after attending a church service at Tetu Catholic Church in Nyeri County, he accused the state of reactivating a notorious group to commit acts of terrorism and crimes against humanity in the Mt Kenya region.
Although he did not name the gang, his description closely aligns with the notorious Mungiki gang, which wreaked havoc in the region in the past.
“We all know what that group did to us, to our women, girls, and businesses as a community. You cannot use those youths to instil fear in us in an attempt to make us support you. When I was the Deputy President, I eliminated illicit liquor. Why can’t the police be deployed to combat illegal activities instead of offering protection to the criminal group. They should be focused on fighting drug abuse and the illicit liquor trade in the central region, which has resurfaced after I left office,” he said.
The former Deputy President said he has instructed his allies in Parliament, led by Mukurwe-ini MP John Kaguchia, to mobilise a team of distinguished lawyers to petition the ICC, presenting evidence of the gang’s activities and implicating the government in facilitating their resurgence.
“The ICC must urgently investigate these crimes, as it is the only international body capable of ensuring justice and holding those responsible accountable for enabling violence and instability,” he said. Gachagua urged the President to prioritise engaging with the people of the Central Region, rather than allegedly using gangs to instil fear among the population.
“The President should come and face the people to understand what has made them angry and resistant to his governors, rather than intimidating them with criminal gangs and abductions,” he said.
