Gachagua: We have formed legal team to offer free service to arrested protestors
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has announced the formation of a legal team led by Kirinyaga Woman Representative Njeri Maina to provide pro bono legal representation to individuals arrested in connection with recent protests.
Speaking during an interview while on tour in Boston on Saturday, July 19, 2025, Gachagua revealed that a team of lawyers had been constituted specifically to defend protest-related cases, particularly for those hailing from the Mt Kenya region.
You might also like
“We have established a legal team, led by @Hon_Njeri_Maina, to offer pro bono legal representation to all those arrested for standing with our cause,” he said.
The move follows Gachagua’s earlier directive to lawyers from the 11 Mt Kenya counties and diaspora areas to organise themselves into response teams. He urged them to be on standby and respond swiftly whenever young people are arrested for participating in protests.
Additionally, Gachagua called on Mt Kenya businesspeople to be ready to support bail efforts, asking them to contribute funds to help secure the release of arrested protesters. He emphasised that the Mt Kenya community is under siege and must stand in solidarity to protect its own.
This follows his recent message of appreciation to Kenyans in the diaspora for sending financial support to help bail out protesting youths.
Kindiki’s economic empowerment initiatives
In the same interview, Gachagua has criticised Deputy President Kithure Kindiki’s economic empowerment initiatives in the Mt Kenya region, dismissing them as hollow public relations stunts disguised as development.
Speaking during the interview, Gachagua described the programmes as a “shameful waste of public resources”.
He has also accused the government of staging flashy events with little to no meaningful impact on the ground.
“The so-called economic empowerment in Mt Kenya is a façade. Previously, they came with beans and rice, until we spoke out. Now, they parade ‘real’ empowerment materials, but it’s still a shameful waste of public resources. Just look: dozens of helicopters flying into one event, all for show. This is not empowerment. It’s extravagance dressed as progress,” he said.
Further, he has criticised the disparity in resource allocation and job creation across regions, pointing to the Rift Valley as a prime example.
“While Mt Kenya is being appeased with beans and rice, Rift Valley is receiving matatus; their youth are being recruited into the army and the Kenya Police, and even securing jobs abroad. Meanwhile, in Mt Kenya, instead of opportunities, they are deploying goons to intimidate and divide,” he said.
