Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has broken his silence on why he stayed away from last Wednesday's protests, distancing himself from any political association with the demonstrations.
Speaking during a TV interview, Gachagua said he respected the wishes of 'young Kenyans' who had explicitly asked politicians not to hijack their cause.
“Gen Zs asked us to stay away from the protests, and rightly so, because they don’t want to be owned by anyone,” he explained.
He noted that his presence on the streets could have been misinterpreted.
“Had I joined them on Wednesday, it would have fuelled false claims that I fund them. I had no business being in the streets,” he said
His remarks come amid a widespread accusations that some politicians took advantage of the protests to advance their cause.
There have also claims that some politicians financed the protests with Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen having issued a stern warning that anyone who may have funded will face the full force of the law.
He said no one will be spared regardless of their position.
Gachagua further disclosed that the June 25, 2024 protests is what caused a rift between him and President William Ruto.
He said while the president and other leaders labelled them criminals as, he defended as "my sons and daughters and deserve to be heard."
"I disagreed with him in a discussion between me and him. I told him I am against the use excess force against them and I urged him to consider doing away with Finance Bill, 2024 which he refused," he claimed.
He also denied claims that he previously, while serving as DP, he supported the police in dealing firmly with protesters saying he was misquoted.
"What I said is police must their guns to protect life and property not to take away life. That was my position," he said.
