Democratic Change Party (DCP) leader and former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua at the Anglican Church of Kenya Diocese in Nyahururu, Laikipia county. /RIGATHI GACHAGUA/XDemocracy for Citizens Party leader and former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has accused the government of using the “coup plot” narrative to deflect from its own shortcomings in the face of growing national discontent.
Speaking during a Sunday service at the Anglican Church of Kenya Diocese in Nyahururu, Laikipia county, Gachagua distanced himself from the chaos and destruction witnessed during the June 25 youth-led protests, particularly in the Mt Kenya region.
“I had no role in the destruction. It is the government that bears full responsibility for what happened. These accusations are part of a calculated scheme to paint me and other leaders in bad light, especially in our own backyard,” Gachagua said.
The former Deputy President was responding to remarks by President William Ruto, who suggested the protests bore the markings of an attempted coup.
“There was no coup. What we saw was the youth standing up against oppression and bad governance. The coup narrative is just a convenient excuse to avoid addressing the real issues raised by the young people,” Gachagua said, branding the allegations as “fictional.”
He further accused the state of resorting to fear-mongering rather than engaging meaningfully with Gen Z demonstrators, whom he described as patriots confronting a broken system.
Reaffirming his political intentions, Gachagua said he was actively working with “like-minded leaders” across the country to mount a national movement aimed at liberating Kenya from what he termed as endemic corruption and poor leadership.
On his social media pages, he shared a verse from Ezra 10:4: “Rise up; this matter is in your hands. We will support you, so take courage and do it.”
The post was accompanied by a pointed message.
“It’s another blessed Sunday to thank the Lord for His grace and mercy on our nation. Kenya must be liberated, and those faithful to God’s will shall remain steadfast,” he wrote.
The remarks underscore a deepening political rift between Gachagua and President Ruto, with Mt Kenya’s political landscape increasingly fracturing ahead of the 2027 general election.
