Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has attributed the alleged mistreatment of Butere Girls High School students in Nakuru to a breakdown of the country's intelligence system.
Gachagua, who spoke during former President Mwai Kibaki's memorial service in Othaya, Nyeri County on Friday afternoon, criticised the Director General of the National Intelligence Service (NIS), Noordin Haji, for allegedly failing to prevent the intimidation of the learners.
According to the former Deputy President, if a decision needed to be made that the play dubbed Echoes of War by Butere Girls students was inappropriate, then it could have been stopped in its initial stages.
Gachagua further claimed that the collapse of the country's intelligence was due to the constant dealings by the NIS boss, whom he accused of concentrating on personal gains rather than serving Kenyans.
"They only noticed about the play in the finals in Nakuru because of a failed intelligence system. If a decision needed to be made that the play was bad and people should not see it, it could have been stopped at initial stages," Gachagua said.
"This is because there are many agents on the ground every day, but because everyone is sleeping on their duty, and they are busy looking for money through deals including the NIS officers and the president," he added.
Commenting on the deteriorating diplomatic relations between Kenya and Sudan, Gachagua criticised President William Ruto's administration for allegedly allowing the importation of illicit arms by Sudanese rebel groups through Nairobi.
The former Deputy President also claimed that gold illegally obtained from Sudan was being processed in Kenya, attributing such activities as the cause of the ongoing conflict in the foreign nation.
"When you look at the situation in Sudan, we are allowing gold to be processed in Kenya and guns to be smuggled through Nairobi to go and kill children in Sudan," the former DP claimed.
During the event attended by a few government officials and the opposition leaders, including Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka, Gachagua also accused Ruto of misusing taxpayers' money on things that were not beneficial to Kenyans.
The former DP faulted the Head of State for allegedly forcing Kenyans to pay higher taxes but reportedly failing to use the collected funds appropriately.
According to Gachagua, unlike Kibaki, who collected taxes and used them appropriately, President Ruto's administration frustrated Kenyans through extreme taxation with no substantial return.
"There is nothing wrong with taxation, and Kenyans cannot be accused of failing to pay taxes. Mwai Kibaki did it, and people paid taxes and did not complain because they saw corresponding services," Gachagua said.
