Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has explained why he did not turn up for the protests on Wednesday, June 25.
Speaking in an interview on Friday, June 27, Gachagua said he deliberately chose not to join the demonstrators, recalling the stance taken by Gen Z during the 2024 protests.
"I didn't want to join the protests; during the 2024 protests, Gen Z asked us, the elders, to keep off the protests. That is how it should be because they don't want to be owned by anybody because they are not under the direction of anybody and not financed by anybody," he said.
Gachagua noted that his participation might have fueled claims that he was behind the protests, accusations he has since rejected.
"If I had turned up in the streets on Wednesday, it would have given credit to the ridiculous accusations that I financed the Gen Zs. I'm not the leader, I'm not their financier; I just support them morally because I support their cause," he added.
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While Gachagua skipped the protests, other opposition leaders, including Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and DAP-K leader Eugene Wamalwa, attended the protests.
In the aftermath of the demonstrations, Gachagua came out to condemn the government's response to the protests, accusing President William Ruto’s regime of orchestrating violence against peaceful demonstrators.
In a statement on Thursday, June 26, he denounced the use of excessive force and live bullets by the police on peaceful and unarmed protesters.
"In the strongest terms possible, I condemn the use of excessive force and live bullets by the Police on peaceful and unarmed Gen-Z protesters witnessed yesterday across the country.
"Intimidating the peaceful and young demonstrators who were only remembering their slain colleagues in the struggle only complicates the matter for you and your rogue regime, Mr. Ruto," he said.
Gachagua linked the protests to unfulfilled government promises, pointing directly at the president.
"The cause of the Gen-Z protests is well-known by the Government and every Kenyan; Mr. Ruto, you know you promised our young people jobs and economic liberation. You know what you have delivered to them and their parents," he said.
Gachagua further accused the government of deploying organized gangs to infiltrate the protests with the intent to discredit the demonstrators.
"Last week, during the protests over the brutal murder of Mr. Albert Ojwang, Mr. Ruto and the Nairobi Governor organized goons to beat up the peaceful demonstrators in Nairobi, but yesterday you changed tactics, where goons were instructed to loot and destroy property," he claimed.
