The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) summoned impeached Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on Monday regarding his claims of alleged assassination attempts against him.
Officials at the DCI were concerned that if Gachagua’s allegations went unchallenged, they could escalate. This led to the decision to summon him for clarification.
John Marete, the DCI’s director of communication, issued a letter aimed at clarifying the serious allegations Gachagua made about his safety and government officials.
“These are serious allegations, and we want to take action against anyone involved, if applicable. This is not a formal summons but a request for clarification,” said a senior officer.
Gachagua is scheduled to appear at the DCI headquarters on Tuesday, October 22, although it’s uncertain whether he will comply. His lawyers are meeting with him to discuss the next steps.
After being discharged from Karen Hospital in Nairobi, where he was admitted while Senators voted on his impeachment, Gachagua claimed there were two attempts on his life prior to the impeachment motion.
“I don’t feel safe. On August 30, undercover police agents in Kisumu entered my room and attempted to poison my food. We detected it and managed to escape,” he said at a press conference.
He also mentioned that on September 3, National Intelligence Service (NIS) officers tried to poison food intended for him and Kikuyu elders in Nyeri. Gachagua reported these incidents to the NIS and requested that officers assigned to him leave. He suggested that the impeachment motion was a consequence of these failed assassination attempts.
He added that his security detail had been withdrawn and warned that if anything were to happen to him, President Ruto should be held accountable.
In his letter, Marete referenced Gachagua’s public statements about the assassination attempts, emphasizing their seriousness. He requested Gachagua’s presence at the DCI headquarters on October 22 to formally record his statement, which is vital for the investigation.
Marete assured Gachagua that the police understand the gravity of the situation and will handle it with the necessary seriousness.
During the press conference, Gachagua accused President William Ruto of betrayal, expressing disbelief that someone he helped elect could turn against him.
“If anything happens to me or my family, President Ruto must be held accountable,” he stated.
Ruto has not publicly addressed Gachagua’s impeachment or the allegations made by the ousted deputy president. On Friday, Ruto nominated Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki as his new deputy, but Kindiki has not yet taken office due to court orders blocking his swearing-in pending the resolution of legal challenges against the impeachment.
