Latest news with #Gachagua
eNCA
10-07-2025
- Politics
- eNCA
Kenya's president warns against bid to 'overthrow' govt by protests
NAIROBI - Kenyan President William Ruto warned Wednesday against attempts to "overthrow" the government through "unconstitutional means" and ordered police to shoot violent protesters in the leg, days after 31 people were killed in nationwide anti-government demonstrations. His toughest remarks yet come as the east African nation faces a wave of violent protests over economic stagnation, corruption and police brutality. "They want to start chaos, organise protests, burn people's property, bring disaster so as to overthrow the government before 2027... This is a democratic country," Ruto told supporters in the capital Nairobi, speaking in Swahili. "This country will not be destroyed by a few people who are impatient and want a change of government through unconstitutional means," he said. "You cannot sponsor violence and go scot-free," he added, saying any attacks on the police would be seen as a "declaration of war". Ruto, who was elected in 2022, also said violent protesters "should be shot in the leg, be taken to hospital and taken to court". The demonstrations began in June last year as a youth-led anti-taxation protest, which subsequently forced the government to withdraw the contested finance bill. But many of Kenya's youth are once again engaging in protests, which last month degenerated into looting and violence, killing dozens and destroying thousands of businesses. They are disillusioned by the economic situation, corruption and high taxes, as well as police brutality after a teacher died in custody last month. Fifty-one people have died in protests over the last two months, according to an AFP tally citing rights groups. Rallies early this week saw hundreds arrested and scores wounded. Rights groups said 31 people died across the country in the protests which marked Saba Saba day -- meaning Seven Seven -- or July 7, 1990 when Kenyans rose up to demand a return to multi-party democracy after years of autocratic rule by then-president Daniel arap Moi. Protesters accuse the authorities of paying armed vandals to discredit their movement, while the government compared a demonstration in June to an "attempted coup". - Boycott call - Opposition leaders, including Ruto's former deputy and ally Rigathi Gachagua, have accused the government of unleashing state-sponsored violence against its citizens, slamming it as "hostile". AFP/File | Luis TATO On Tuesday, they called on the public to "boycott all businesses, services and institutions owned, operated or publicly linked to this regime and its enablers". Gachagua campaigned for Ruto during the 2022 election but the two fell out last year, leading to his impeachment. Ruto's allies have accused Gachagua of bankrolling violent protests, with some calling for his arrest. He has denied the accusations. Marches last month marked the one-year anniversary of the anti-tax protests that saw young demonstrators breach parliament on June 25, with rights groups saying at least 60 people died in last year's rallies. Social media and rising economic expectations have fanned anger over inequalities in a country where around 80 percent are trapped in informal, poorly paid jobs. UNTV/AFP |
AFP
26-06-2025
- Politics
- AFP
Misleading videos shared as Kenyan leaders' stances on anniversary protests
On June 25, 2025, Kenya marked the first anniversary of the anti-government protests that saw demonstrators breach parliament. Ahead of the anniversary, videos shared on social media purported to show prominent Kenyan leaders — including Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, ex-deputy president Rigathi Gachagua, and opposition leader Raila Odinga — speaking against the planned anniversary protests. However, these claims are misleading; two of the clips are old, and one features false text. 'Gen Z Wednesday morning come and meet us you'll see fire,' reads the text overlay on a TikTok post published on June 24, 2025, partly in Swahili. The post was shared more than 900 times. The clip shows Kindiki giving a warning: 'I hear there are people giving many stories there on what they will do on Wednesday. Come in the morning and meet us.' He adds: 'Because this country is not yours alone, it belongs to everyone. Those who are not protesting, it is their country. Even you, it is your country. Is the country yours alone?' Image Screenshot of the misleading post, taken on June 24, 2025 'Message is clear from Gachagua no protests (sic),' reads the text overlaid on another TikTok post published on June 20, 2025, in Swahili and English. '...To plead with you to call off the protests, so that criminals do not hijack them and engage in criminal activities. The president has already ceded, so you have pleaded to be heard, and you'll be heard,' Gachagua says in the clip. 'But anytime now you call for protests, criminals with bad intent are hijacking and using that opportunity to loot, to steal and to cause mayhem,' he continues. 'As our children you owe this country peace, please consider now that you have been heard. Don't allow these criminals an opportunity to take advantage of what you had started in good faith with a message to the country, infiltrate and hijack and bring chaos to our beautiful country.' Image Screenshot of the misleading post, taken on June 24, 2025 On a third TikTok post, published on June 24, 2025, a text overlay reads: ''No protests tomorrow!' Raila Odinga on June 25 Protests.' 'The youth and other Kenyans said they would go for protests tomorrow,' Odinga says in the clip. He then reads Article 37 of the constitution which guarantees every Kenyan's right to peacefully assemble, demonstrate, picket and present petitions to public authorities. He also points out the need for protesters to 'notify the authorities in advance' and 'share details of the starting point, route, end location and time' of the planned protests, adding that the role of the police is to 'guard the protestors, ensure peace and protect property from destruction'. Image Screenshot of the misleading post, taken on June 24, 2025 Landmark protest anniversary June 25, 2025, marked one year since anti-tax protests culminated in demonstrators storming Kenya's parliament. At least sixty people were killed by security forces during the protests (archived here and here). According to a report by the Kenyan civil society coalition Missing Voices, last year's anti-government demonstrations increased enforced disappearances by police by 450 percent in 2024 (archived here). Recent weeks have seen renewed public outrage stemming from allegations of police abductions and arbitrary arrests, notably following the death of blogger Albert Ojwang in police custody earlier this month (archived here). Ahead of the anniversary, President William Ruto warned against violence and disruption, urging Kenyans to respect the police and not provoke or intimidate them (archived here). However, the clips linking several prominent leaders' addresses to the anniversary protests are misleading. Videos missing context AFP Fact Check conducted reverse image searches for keyframes from the videos and the results established that the clips of Kindiki and Gachagua are old, while the Odinga clip, despite being used in the right context, is incorrectly described. The clip of Kindiki was originally published by Citizen TV on July 10, 2023 (archived here). At the time, Kindiki, who was serving as interior cabinet secretary, was warning opposition protesters who were planning mass action. He cautioned against violence and destruction of property, stating that the police would use full force to maintain peace. While he has not publicly commented on this year's anniversary protests, after he was appointed deputy president, Kindiki defended his tenure as interior minister, stating that he takes no responsibility for last year's police operations (archived here). He acknowledged the pain of the families who lost loved ones but emphasised the need for order. The clip showing Gachagua was published by Citizen TV on July 3, 2024 (archived here). In that address, he was pleading with the youth to call off the anti-government protests that had rocked the country for weeks, occasioned by the 2024 Finance Bill. Gachagua did, however, recently speak against the anniversary protests. He warned the youth not to take to the streets and advised them to conduct their commemorations peacefully from their homes, alleging a plot by the government to kill protesters using hired goons (archived here). Finally, the clip of Odinga is from an address he gave in Mombasa a day before the protest anniversary (archived here). While he did indeed address the planned anniversary protests, he did not at any point speak against them, as the text on TikTok claims. Instead, he defended Kenyans' right to protest, pointed out the need to notify relevant authorities in advance, and urged the government to respect the constitution and allow peaceful protests under police protection. He also called out the church for what he termed as selective outrage, accusing religious leaders of hypocrisy over their recent condemnation of police brutality.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Kenyan MP found in coffee farm after alleged abduction
A Kenyan member of parliament who was allegedly abducted by unknown men after a church service on Sunday is being treated in hospital after being found on a coffee farm, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has said. George Koimburi had been "badly beaten" and was in a "very serious condition" at the Karen Hospital in the capital Nairobi, Gachagua added. A vocal critic of the government, Koimburi is allied with Gachagua, who was impeached by parliament and removed from office last year after falling-out with President William Ruto. The alleged abduction has sparked outrage, with the opposition accusing the government of intimidation. It has not yet commented on the allegation. Police said they were investigating the incident, local media reported. A motorcycle rider who first found Koimburi early on Monday morning is said to have alerted other people and his family, the reports added added. A widely shared video clip showed the MP lying on the ground, his clothes dishevelled and seemingly in pain. On Sunday, Koimburi's wife told reporters that they were outside church, in his Juja constituency in central Kiambu county, when he was grabbed and bundled into a vehicle. Koimburi was reportedly found at a coffee farm in the nearby Ruiru constituency, less than 10km (six miles) from where he had been allegedly abducted. Speaking after visiting him in hospital, Gachagua accused the government of targeting legislators who took a "vocal stand against the government". There has been a wave of abductions in Kenya since mass protests against tax hikes broke out last year. The government has previously denied involvement in the kidnappings. Prominent opposition politician Kalonzo Musyoka said that opposition officials would meet on Tuesday to "assess the current state of political harassment and intimidation in the country by the Kenya Kwanza [governing] regime". He raised concerns over how an MP, who was entitled to security by the police, could "get abducted in broad daylight". "It means Kenyans are on their own," Musyoka added. In February, Koimburi was arrested and charged with forging his academic qualifications. He denied the charge and was released on bail. Police are reported to be also investigating him over allegations of land fraud and misuse of government funds. He denies any wrongdoing. His alleged abduction came weeks after MP Charles Ong'ondo Were was shot dead in the streets of Nairobi by gunmen on a motorcycle. Police said several suspects had been arrested following what appeared to be a "targeted and predetermined" assassination. Many Kenyans are alarmed by the deteriorating security situation. The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights says that more than 80 people have been abducted since mass protests broke out last June against an increase in taxation, in what was the biggest challenge to the authority of Ruto's government since it took office in 2022. The commission blamed the abductions on state security agencies, but they denied any involvement. Earlier this month, Ruto said the government had taken action to prevent further abductions, but did not give details. Pressure mounts to probe Kenya police and army after BBC exposé Abductions spark fears of a return to Kenya's dark past 'We live in fear' - forced expulsions taint Kenya's safe haven image Kenyan minister alleges intelligence agency behind his son's abduction Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica Africa Daily Focus on Africa
Middle East Eye
10-04-2025
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Kenya's former vice president calls for Ruto to be sanctioned over Sudan war
The former deputy leader of Kenya has called for William Ruto, the country's president, to be sanctioned internationally for allowing the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitaries in Sudan to launder money from gold through Nairobi. Rigathi Gachagua was vice president of Kenya from September 2022 until October last year, when he was impeached after falling out with Ruto. During an interview with KTN News this week, he alleged widespread Kenyan complicity in crimes committed during Sudan's war. Gachagua said that when RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo - widely known as Hemeti - was de facto deputy leader of Sudan, Ruto sought to invite him to Kenya. As Hemeti was not a head of state, but a deputy, Ruto could not directly send out the invitation. Gachagua had to extend the invitation, which he did. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters 'Later on, I realised they are doing business,' said Gachagua. 'After some time, it became clear to me that the international community had placed international sanctions against Hemeti because of genocide, killing women, displacing people, and other crimes against humanity.' So when Ruto called on his deputy to once again invite Hemeti, Gachagua refused. 'I told him, 'Mr President, this is a butcher of women and children. He is using our country through your friendship to bring gold from Sudan, clean it in Nairobi, take it to the Middle East, use the funds to buy arms to go and kill people in Sudan',' he said. Sudan crisis: How a parallel RSF government could destroy the nation Read More » As a father and as a Christian, Gachagua stated, he could not comply. An independent inquiry last year found that there was 'clear and convincing evidence' that the RSF and its allied militias 'have committed and are committing genocide against the Masalit', a Black African group in the country. The US also determined that the RSF was perpetrating genocide in Sudan, and sanctioned Hemeti for his role in 'systematic atrocities'. Gachagua said his signature was later forged in an attempt to bring Hemeti to Kenya. When the vice president threatened that he would publicly 'disown' the invitation if Hemeti landed in the country, the visit was halted. After that moment, relations rapidly soured between Ruto and Gachagua. 'The real commander of RSF is William Ruto because for a movement to succeed, it needs money,' said Gachagua. 'The money from gold is being cleaned through Kenya to buy arms to go and kill women and children.' 'Sanction Ruto to stop Sudan war' In February, Kenya hosted a conference that saw the RSF launch a parallel government in the areas it controls. The Sudanese foreign ministry described Kenya's move as a direct intervention in the affairs of another country and a violation of diplomatic norms and the African Union charter. Sudan subsequently suspended all imports from Kenya in protest, describing Nairobi's actions as "tantamount to an act of hostility". 'I want to tell the international community, it is pointless to lay the sanctions against Hemeti. The person they need to levy sanctions against is William Ruto,' said Gachagua. Sudan tells ICJ that UAE is complicit in genocide Read More » 'Sudan will be sorted out because if there are sanctions against William Ruto, he'll stop entertaining Hemeti. 'Gold will stop being processed in Nairobi. There will be no money to buy arms to go and kill children.' In January, the US Treasury imposed sanctions on AZ Gold, a UAE-based gold purchasing company. 'AZ Gold has purchased gold from Sudan, presumably for the benefit of the RSF, and subsequently transported it to Dubai,' the sanctions notice stated. Algoney Hamdan Dagalo, one of Hemeti's brothers, 'maintained access to AZ Gold's bank account in the UAE, which held millions of dollars', according to the US Treasury. Sudan's army-aligned government has accused Ruto of dealing commercially with the RSF. 'It is unfortunate that the Kenyan president has placed his personal and commercial interests with the militia's regional sponsors and the militia's leadership above the historical relations between the two brotherly countries,' the Sudanese foreign ministry said, likely referencing the UAE. On Thursday, Sudan accused the UAE of complicity in genocide at a hearing before the International Court of Justice in The Hague.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Footage altered to falsely claim Kenya's ex-deputy leader apologised to president in 2025
'Former Deputy Gachagua (Riggy G) has apologised to President William Ruto days into Ruto's historic visit back to Mt Kenya yesterday he was at Nanyuki and nyeri to launch development projects, will these apology calm waters (sic)?' reads an X post published on April 2, 2025. In what looks like a news bulletin by Kenyan broadcaster Citizen TV, the chyron reads 'Gachagua to Ruto: Please forgive me' and 'Former deputy president seeks forgiveness from Pres. Ruto'. Jeff Koinange, a news anchor at the media outlet, appears briefly at the beginning of the clip. Although the accompanying audio sounds like his voice, it is out of sync with his lip movements. 'Deputy president Rigathi Gachagua has apologised to President William Ruto,' Koinange appears to say. 'Days into Ruto's historic visit back to central Kenya, Gachagua bows his head. A public apology watched by the whole nation. Will this apology calm the waters or is it just the eye of the storm? Folks, you can't make this stuff up. This is the story of the hour.' Twenty-two seconds into the video, the clip cuts to Gachagua giving an address. 'To my brother President William Ruto, if in our zeal and commitment to work I have wronged you, please find it in your heart to forgive me. If my spouse in her duties for the boy child and her programme has wronged you in any way, find it in your heart to forgive her,' Gachagua says. 'To our members of parliament, if in the course of duty, through our utterances and actions, we have in one way or another upset you or wronged you, find it in your heart to forgive me,' he adds. Gachagua was impeached and subsequently removed from his role as deputy president on October 17, 2024, after falling out with Ruto (archived here and here). He is now looking to unseat Ruto in the 2027 general election (archived here). Speaking in an interview a day before he began a tour in the Mount Kenya region, where Gachagua comes from, Ruto blamed his ex-deputy for his own downfall. He accused Gachagua of creating conflicts and demanding billions to resolve political tensions in the region (archived here and here). Gachagua, who has been fighting for political supremacy in the region since his ouster, responded by dismissing the claims as lies (archived here and here). The video does not show Gachagua issuing an apology to Ruto amid the tour in his political backyard. AFP Fact Check conducted reverse image searches on screengrabs from the clip shared on X and the results established that it was created using old, unrelated videos and audio generated with Artificial Intelligence (AI) software. The footage of Koinange seen at the beginning of the clip was originally published by Citizen TV on March 2, 2025 (archived here). The bulletin covered Gachagua's sustained attacks on Ruto. There was no mention of an apology. Comparisons show that the images in the background showing Gachagua, opposition leader Kalonzo Musyoka and State House were edited out in the X video. The font used for the chyron is also different in both videos. While the clip of Gachagua's apology is authentic, it is not recent. The footage is from an address he gave on October 6, 2024, at his official Karen residence, days before he was impeached by the Senate (archived here). Gachagua can be seen wearing the same attire in both videos, and the Kenyan and Israeli flags are visible in the background. In the section featuring Koinange, the unnatural pauses in the audio, as well as the fact that it doesn't sync with the journalist's lip movements, are tell-tale signs that it is AI-generated. AFP Fact Check ran the audio from this section through InVID-WeVerify's audio detection tool and the results suggested strong evidence of voice cloning. The rest of the audio from Gachagua's address is authentic. We did not find any credible evidence of Gachagua recently issuing any sort of apology to Ruto.
