Gachagua homecoming aftermath: DCP denies paying goons for clout
The Democracy for Citizens’ Party (DCP) youth leader, Wanjiku Thiga, has denied that DCP paid goons to seek political clout.
Wanjiku, who spoke to a local TV station on Friday, August 22, 2025, maintained that it is the state, and not DCP, that has been funding hired groups to disrupt political activities.
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In her remarks, Thiga expressed disappointment at attempts to paint DCP supporters as violent or disorderly, insisting that their movement is rooted in peace and accountability.
She argued that the government was attempting to deflect its failures by sponsoring chaos and blaming opposition forces for unrest.
“We want to tell the state that you cannot continue using goon politics. You will pay them today, and tomorrow if you don’t, they will surely come for you,” Thiga stated.
She emphasised that young people aligned with the DCP had turned up peacefully to welcome their party leader, Rigathi Gachagua, and that the chaos witnessed was stage-managed by the state.
Warning against misusing the youth
Thiga went on to accuse the government of exploiting disillusioned youth by paying them to cause trouble, instead of addressing their real grievances, such as unemployment and economic hardship.
“We have a disconnect in this government because many young people did not vote for it. Instead of fixing the rot, you are once again using the young people as goons,” she added.
Her sentiments come in the wake of heightened political activity surrounding Gachagua’s anticipated return, an event that has already seen police deployments and rising tension in Nairobi and surrounding counties.
According to Thiga, the state’s strategy of hiring youth to disrupt opposition rallies will not succeed in silencing their movement. She warned that such tactics only risk creating further instability in the country, as the same groups could easily turn against their sponsors when payments dry up.
As the standoff continues, questions are being raised about the government’s handling of dissent and the role of youth in Kenya’s political future. For DCP, the message remains that their struggle is peaceful and rooted in defending democratic values, regardless of attempts to discredit them.
