Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has dismissed allegations that he was behind the hiring of goons who allegedly infiltrated, looted, and disrupted the youth-led protests on June 25, 2025.

Speaking during an interview with NTV, Gachagua challenged the credibility of such claims and questioned why authorities took no action if indeed intelligence had identified the alleged culprits.

“If they had intelligence that goons had been paid by Rigathi or anybody else, why didn’t they arrest these goons?” he posed, casting doubt on the government’s response to the situation.

Gachagua argued that the failure to act on such information points to a deliberate attempt to frame him or divert attention from the real issues raised by the Gen Z protestors.

He also asserted that if the individuals in question were associated with him, the consequences would have been far more severe.

“If these were my goons, I want to tell you today, they would have been shot dead or be in custody,” he stated, insinuating a double standard in the handling of justice.

Gachagua further questioned the sincerity of Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, who had earlier suggested that the chaos was premeditated and backed by political actors.

“If there was such intelligence, why didn’t they act on it?” Gachagua asked, emphasizing the inconsistency in the government’s narrative.

The DCP leader also accused Interior CS Murkomen of disrespecting the intelligence of ordinary Kenyans. “He must respect the people and stop taking them for fools,” Gachagua remarked, insisting that the public deserves truth and accountability rather than political gamesmanship.

The June 25 protests, led largely by Kenyan youth, were marked by widespread demonstrations calling for better governance, economic reforms, and justice for victims of police brutality. While the protests began peacefully, reports of violence and looting emerged, with fingers pointed in different directions regarding the source of the chaos.

While concluding, Gachagua did not hold back in questioning the government’s handling of the alleged looters. “Why were the looters not arrested or shot?” he asked, implying selective enforcement of law and order.

His comments have since sparked debate across the political divide, with some supporting his call for transparency, while others accuse him of shifting blame.

Nonetheless, his remarks reflect deepening rifts within the political class over the handling of the nationwide protests and the growing discontent among Kenyan youth.