NAIROBI — Kenya teeters on the edge of political chaos after a dramatic, military-style raid on the homes of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
In what insiders are calling a politically motivated witch hunt, heavily armed officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), General Service Unit (GSU), and National Intelligence Service (NIS) launched simultaneous operations at Gachagua’s residences in Karen and Wamunyoro late Sunday night.
The sudden siege, confirmed by Gachagua’s lawyer Ndegwa Njiru, has sparked fears of a major public backlash.
Njiru issued an emergency alert to media houses, warning of an unlawful manhunt without any formal charges or legal explanation.
“The DCI has taken control of both HE Rigathi Gachagua’s homes. They are currently manhunting him. We are yet to be informed of the reason,” Njiru stated.
The move has ignited a political firestorm, with allies and observers decrying what they term a blatant abuse of state power.
Cleophas Malala, Deputy Party Leader of the Democracy and Citizens Party (DCP), described the nighttime operation as “an act of desperation” by President William Ruto’s regime.
“The regime is using special forces to silence opposition. This is dictatorship in motion,” said Malala. “They’re preparing to rig 2027, but the people will not be silent.”
Social media exploded with images of masked officers stationed outside the homes of the embattled former DP.
Meanwhile, Nyandarua Senator John Methu narrowly escaped what he described as a targeted ambush, going into hiding with the help of a stranger ferrying avocados.
“The Subarus had ill intentions,” Methu declared. “They want to crush dissent, but Kenya is not a dictatorship.”
Political tension has been simmering in recent months, with Gachagua emerging as a vocal critic of the Ruto administration.
His recent warnings about attempts to compromise the 2027 General Election appear to have crossed a red line.
Security sources who spoke on condition of anonymity warned that any arrest or harm to Gachagua could trigger mass protests across Mt. Kenya and beyond.
“If Gachagua is touched, expect a mother of all uprisings,” said a senior intelligence officer.
“This isn’t just about one man. It’s about a people who feel betrayed.”
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, speaking hours before the raid, had ominously hinted at a government crackdown on so-called inciters.
Analysts now believe the comments were a veiled threat directed at Gachagua and his allies.
The unfolding drama marks a dangerous escalation in Kenya’s political arena, with the government now accused of using the nation’s elite forces not for national security but to wage war on dissenters.
Civil society groups, legal watchdogs, and political leaders are calling for calm, but with Mt. Kenya simmering, the streets may soon speak louder than any ballot.
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