Gachagua to Kenyans in US: Our children are being killed by the State
By David Nthua, August 7, 2025Former DP Rigathi Gachagua has once again escalated his attacks on President William Ruto and Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen.
Speaking during a public engagement with Kenyans living in the US on Thursday, August 7, 2025, Gachagua said the situation back home had reached a dangerous point and called on the international community to intervene.
The worsening situation in Kenya
“Back home, it is tough. There are tears. There is anguish, fear, and uncertainty,” Gachagua told the audience. “Our children, between the ages of 15 to 24, are being abducted and killed by the state. More than 200 kids since 2024 have been abducted, tortured and killed, and others have disappeared without a trace. Parents are crying.”
He accused President Ruto and CS Murkomen of allowing extrajudicial killings to continue unchecked, warning that the state’s response to recent protests had crossed all limits.
“The situation has been worsened because Kasongo (Ruto) and his boys have gone berserk, and they no longer fear or pretend,” Gachagua said. “CS Murkomen, in broad daylight, gave an order to the police to shoot and kill. A week later, Ruto, in total violation of the Constitution of Kenya, publicly announced that our children should be shot in the leg.”
A plea for international help
Gachagua’s comments mark his most direct and emotional rebuke yet of the Kenya Kwanza leadership, signalling widening cracks in the alliance that brought Ruto to power in 2022.
His appeal for international community involvement reflects growing concern over the government’s handling of dissent and the increasing number of reported disappearances and deaths linked to protest crackdowns.
“We must now speak plainly and boldly,” Gachagua told the audience, receiving murmurs of agreement. “What is happening is no longer a political disagreement. It’s a human rights crisis.”
Political tensions rise
With the 2027 elections slowly drawing closer, Gachagua’s tone is expected to resonate among growing numbers of disillusioned Kenyans. His remarks also highlight a shift in how opposition voices are positioning themselves, not just as political rivals, but as defenders of constitutional order and basic rights.