Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua issued a scathing rebuke to the National Intelligence Service (NIS) on Thursday, December 19, 2024, accusing the agency of wasting resources by tailing him instead of focusing on national security.
Gachagua criticized NIS for what he termed as wasting resources by assigning an officer to follow him from Nairobi to Makueni.
He urged the agency to prioritize meaningful work that enhances national security and suggested deploying local officers to gather information instead, emphasizing the need to save public funds.
“National Intelligence Service, please deploy this vehicle and this officer to do some useful work to enhance our security as a Nation.
“It was pointless to waste fuel and man hours having him follow us all the way from Nairobi to Makueni yesterday.
“It would save public funds to detail your officers in Makueni to listen to what am saying, record and send to you instead of wasting public funds,” Gachagua lamented in a statement on social media.
On Wednesday, Gachagua attended a burial in Mbooni Constituency, Makueni County, accompanied by his wife, Pastor Dorcas Rigathi.
Speaking at the burial, Gachagua claimed that the Mt Kenya region had fully paid President William Ruto’s political debt.
At the same time, Gachagua disclosed that the Mt Kenya region still owes Wiper Party Leader Kalonzo Musyoka.
He lauded Kalonzo recalling how he salvaged the late Mwai Kibaki who did not have enough lawmakers after winning the presidential election in 2007.
The former DP made it clear that the region is ready to return the favour to Kalonzo who is angling himself to succeed President Ruto in 2027.
Security withdrawn
Weeks ago, Gachagua claimed that the government had withdrawn his security after an attack on mourners, including himself, during a funeral service in Limuru on November 28, 2024.
Speaking hours after the harrowing ordeal, Gachagua expressed dismay at what he described as a deliberate exposure to violence.
“As Kenyans are well aware, earlier this week the government withdrew the final aspects of my security after the impeachment process we are contesting. Although we did not raise issue with this decision, it now appears it was intended to leave me vulnerable to such an attack,” he said.
The attack occurred during a funeral service for Erastus Nduati, a young man Gachagua described as a promising individual.
According to him, a group of armed individuals disrupted the service, targeting mourners indiscriminately with stones, machetes, iron bars, sticks, and even plastic chairs.
Gachagua recounted the moment the attackers turned their attention to him.
“A specific group followed me as I went to my car, which they proceeded to attack with stones and iron bars. We literally drove out of the venue under a hail of rocks,” he revealed.
Gachagua, who has been a vocal critic of the current administration, stated that such incidents would not deter him from standing with Kenyans.
“We will not be scared away from supporting those who need us in their moments of need. We just expect such a terrible moment of shame will not be repeated.”
