In a scathing letter to Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has broken his silence on alleged threats over his impending visit to Mbeere North.
Gachagua issued a statement on Wednesday afternoon, November 12, urging the IG to arrest a group of individuals whose video threatening the former DP had gone viral on social media two days earlier.
Gachagua named the individuals and claimed that they were connected to a local governor and had been hired to frustrate his campaigns in Mbeere North.
"Despite the evidence and information in your custody, the above persons have not been arraigned. We demand that ahead of the by-elections, the above persons must be arrested immediately, arraigned and charged under the penal code," the former DP said in the letter.
"We further demand that the people of Mbeere North be allowed to exercise their democratic right to vote a candidate of their choice; no one shall be allowed to force a candidate on the people."
Gachagua is set to tour Mbeere North on November 16, and ahead of his visit, a video emerged of individuals openly making threats towards the him and his Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) outfit.
Concerningly, a man in the video could be heard suggesting Gachagua would be subjected to hostility when he visits Mbeere North to campaign for the united opposition candidate ahead of the November 27 by-elections.
The former DP, in his statement, accused police of turning a blind eye on attempts to harm him and his faction as he cited previous incidents where his presence was marred by unrest.
"On the above account and given the trajectory of continued irresponsibility, omissions, and commissions in the performance of your duties under the Constitution of Kenya (2010), and other international law, you will be held personally responsible before the International Criminal Court - ICC," he went on.
The Mbeere North parliamentary seat was rendered vacant after President William Ruto appointed the area's former Member of Parliament, Geoffrey Ruku, as Cabinet Secretary for Public Service.
In September, Gachagua's party, the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP), sought to strengthen opposition unity by revealing it would not field a candidate, instead backing the Democratic Party, which is associated with former Public Service CS Justin Muturi.
Gachagua reiterated that his November 16 tour of the region was still on, insisting that opposition's preferred candidate remained the favourite to win the by-election.
"Take note that, I will be in Mbeere North Constituency from November 16 to November 24 to campaign for the candidate of my choice in full exercise of my constitutional rights," Gachagua added.
On Tuesday, Chama Cha Kazi (CCK) Party Leader Moses Kuria also sensationally claimed that there is a planned attack targeting Gachagua’s upcoming campaign tour over an alleged Ksh10 million debt.
Kuria, in a short statement shared on Tuesday evening, claimed that certain individuals affiliated with the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party were planning to pose as CCK members and cause chaos during the event.
